A lot of people seem confident that the Philadelphia Eagles offense is going to come into Soldier Field and light up the Chicago Bears defense. Where is this confidence coming from? Mostly a product of two things: the fact they’re on a winning streak and are the defending world champions with the Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles at quarterback.
It’s not hard to see the scenario. Philadelphia is far more experienced in the playoffs. Not just from last year but the last 10 years. During that span, Chicago was in the postseason once. The Eagles went five times. They’re an organization used to playing football in January. That can be a big advantage.
Except this team isn’t the 2017 version. This Eagles team is far more banged up and far less equipped from a coaching standpoint as well. Perhaps most importantly, they don’t have the horses necessary to take advantage of the one weakness the Bears defense has shown all season.
Beating the Chicago Bears defense requires running the ball well
If one were to look back over the season, there is a common thread when opponents have managed to get the better of the Bears defense. They managed to run the ball well. In the entire regular season, a team managed to post 100 yards or more on the ground against Chicago four times. Three of those games ended in defeat to the Dolphins, Giants, and Patriots.
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The Bears have allowed 100 yards or more in just two of their last 10 games and are a perfect 8-0 in all of them, allowing just 12.87 points per game. So yes the Eagles do have Foles playing well but there’s a catch. Of the six games he’s posted a 100 passer rating or better since December of last season, the Eagles ran for at least 100 yards in four of them.
The final NFL rankings for the 2018 Bears defense quantify their magnificent season.
Pts/game: 1st (17.7)
Takeaways: 1st (36)
Yds/play: 1st (4.78)
Yds/game: 3rd (299.7)
Yds/carry: 4th (3.78)
Yds/pass: 1st (5.29)
1st downs/game: 1st (17.4)
Sacks/pass attempt: 9th (8.13%)— Rich Campbell (@Rich_Campbell) December 31, 2018
The two he didn’t was one where they had 96 yards (he had no TD pass in that game) and one against Houston this year who boasted the 28th ranked pass defense in the league. It’s also worth noting the Eagles have not fared well against top run defenses. Houston (5th) held them to just 57 yards. Dallas (3rd) held them to 34. The Bears rank 1st.
The Eagles don’t have Saquon Barkley or Frank Gore to throw at them. Wendell Smallwood, Josh Adams, and Corey Clement don’t have that pedigree. Not only that, but three of those four 100-yard games the Bears allowed were on the road. They’ve only permitted it once in eight games at Soldier Field. So yeah, Philadelphia might be in trouble.
