NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The (12-1) Philadelphia Eagles will battle the ( 3-10) Chicago Bears this Sunday in a game that the Eagles must not take lightly. With the big matchup against the Dallas Cowboys just a week away and Dallas’ players already talking, the Eagles must remain focused on the task at hand and not look past the Bears. With a playoff berth guaranteed, it’s all about positioning for this team now. The Bears are eliminated but that does not mean they can’t play spoiler.
Jalen Hurts has the Eagles’ offense on a tear while Fletcher Cox and the front seven have finally found a way to shut down the opposition’s ground game. Over the last two weeks, the Eagles have allowed a team to total over 125 Rushing Yards considering in the previous three games, opponents averaged close to 150.
Here are 3 Keys To victory for the Philadelphia Eagles against the Chicago Bears.
Eagles Must Avoid The Trap Game
The Philadelphia Eagles will head into this game at 12-1 but this may be the most crucial game of the season for the Birds. The Bears are eliminated from playoff contention but the Eagles must not look past this game. Following the Bears, the Eagles will travel to Texas to take on the Cowboys. The Eagles cannot afford to ignore this game against the Bears with the Cowboys showdown lurking. We know the December 24th game is huge for both teams but they just need to take care of business with Chicago first.
With Justin Fields playing at a high level, this game could be more like the game against the Indianapolis Colts or the 2nd game against the Washington Commanders where the Eagles suffered their first loss. As they did against the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants the Eagles must put this game away early.
Eagles Must Pick A Spy For Justin Fields
There are not many QBs in the NFL who can do the things that Fields can do on the field. While not known as a Patrick Mahomes-type passer, Fields is just as dangerous as Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts when he gets in the open space. What the Eagles must do is put a spy on Fields on almost every snap. Entering this game against the Eagles, Fields has already rushed for 905 yards. Yes, you read that correctly. Fields will top 1000 rushing yards on the season.
The Eagles will know what it’s like for a defense trying to stop Hurts. If they cannot place a spy on Fields, and with the way the Eagles have handled the run this year, Fields could have a huge day against this defense. Containing him is one thing, but slowing him down when he escapes the pocket, is the key to success against the Bears.
Philadelphia Eagles Must Control The Clock
The best way to slow Fields is to control the clock. The Philadelphia Eagles must grind it out and while they do have the weapons to strike quickly, this is not one of those games where this may bode well for them. Keeping Fields on the field is a disaster waiting to happen for this defense. The name of the game should be pounding the ball. The Bears have the 27th-ranked Rushing Defense in the league while the Eagles are ranked 2nd in Rushing Yards per game.
The Eagles have proven what they can do when they’re focused on the ground game and this is a game where this needs to be a top priority. In their last 4 games, the Birds have rushed for 824 yards. Just another walk in the park for the 12-1 Philadelphia Eagles.
