The Chicago Bears had one of the best schedule reveals of the 2026 offseason. It involved Rome Odunze dressing like television icon Bob Ross and revealing every game through painting. He even had the mannerisms and everything. It was a perfect homage. Other teams had creative reveals as well. The Philadelphia Eagles opted for something a little more grounded. Several of their best players gathered in a conference room and learned about each game for the first time, getting their genuine reactions.
One would think they’d be eager to hear when they get to face Chicago. After all, the Bears went into their building last season and dealt them an ugly 24-15 loss in which their defense was gashed for almost 300 yards rushing. It was a humiliation for the defending champions. Getting some revenge must be on their mind, right? Well, their reaction upon learning the matchup date was rather subdued. They seemed more grateful that the game is in September before the cold weather hits than anything else.
The Chicago Bears certainly have momentum on their side.
That loss by the Eagles last season kind of derailed them. Up to that point, they were 8-3 and battling for the #1 seed in the NFC. Then the Bears stomped them on national TV, which was the second of four losses in their final seven games. Their swagger and momentum were gone. Sure enough, in the playoff opener, they were upset at home by the San Francisco 49ers. Now they look like a team at a crossroads. Star receiver A.J. Brown is all but certain to get traded next month. There are rumblings of discontent around quarterback Jalen Hurts. They changed offensive coordinators again. Key parts of their vaunted offensive line are nearing retirement.
This is not the team that stampeded its way to a championship in 2024. There are cracks in the foundation. That doesn’t mean they’ll be pushovers. Philadelphia has way too much talent for that. Still, the Bears now know they can beat the Eagles. Once that threshold is crossed, the confidence grows even more. This time they’ll be in Chicago at Soldier Field. No raucous Philadelphia crowd to save them. If the Bears play like they did last season, the result will be the same.
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There is added motivation for this game, too.
One interesting wrinkle is that the Eagles have won eight of their last ten games at Soldier Field dating back to 1999. That includes four of the last four. The Chicago Bears haven’t made it inhospitable enough for them. A big part of that is because they just haven’t had good teams for most of that time. Brian Urlacher was still on the team when they last took down the Eagles in that building. You can bet Coach Johnson will make sure his players are aware of that in September, knowing the players will need a reminder of who they’re facing.
Philadelphia has been a tough team for most of the past quarter-century. Controversies aside, they remain a well-balanced roster with good coaching at the top. Underestimating them is a simple path to defeat. On the other hand, this game represents a golden opportunity for the Bears to make a statement. If they can beat the Eagles on Monday night in front of a national audience again, maybe they’ll start getting more respect.
