Bears' Fatal Flaw is a Major Concern Against Elite Eagles Unit

The Chicago Bears are set to run up against a handful of major problems in their Week 3 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. For one thing, due to injuries to both Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent, they're almost certainly bound to start third-string quarterback and 14-year veteran Case Keenum. They're also about to welcome one of the NFL's fiercest defensive fronts to Soldier Field at a time when their offensive line may be becoming a weakness.

Now, special teams coordinator Richard Hightower may have identified another flaw that could very well cost the Bears this game, if Keenum is able to keep it close. According to a tweet by Bears reporter Devan Kaney, Hightower called the Eagles' field goal blocking unit the best in the league, saying, "We've got a tall, tall task... Jalen Carter is an outstanding player and they got [Jordan Davis] in there."

Carter and Davis are Philly's dynamic duo in the middle of their defensive line, and Hightower is right to be worried.

Cairo Santos is already prone to blocked field goals

Bears fans may not enjoy a stroll down memory lane that takes them back to the 2024 season, but it needs to be talked about. That year, Cairo Santos missed three field goals between the distances of 40 and 49 yards, and all three field goals had been blocked. Two came in back-to-back weeks against division rivals, including a heartbreaker against the Green Bay Packers when defensive tackle Karl Brooks made the game-winning block.

Santos has been much better since then, but the fact is that he has one of the weakest legs in the NFL. The Bears won't even consider trying a 60-yard field goal, a distance that his quickly becoming standard in the NFL. That lack of kicking power means Santos' kicks cannot arc as high as other kickers', make it easier for blockers to reach up high enough to get a finger tip on the ball.

The Bears suffered a blocked kick in their ugly Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and while it at first appeared to be the result of Sam Roush being slow off the snap, the problem may have been rookie long-snapper Beau Gardner not snapping the ball at the correct time. That would explain why the Bears cut the struggling rookie this week.

What's worse, Santos may not be at full health on Monday. He made a surprise appearance on the Bears' Thursday injury report, listed as having a knee injury. The fact that the Bears have not added a kicker ot their roster bodes well for his availability for Monday night, but it doesn't guarantee that he'll be at full health.

The Eagles can exploit this fatal flaw to escape with a win

Hightower was correct in his assessment of the Eagles' field goal blocking aptitude. Between Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, they can make a strong push against any line of blockers and force placekickers to account for them. Against the Bears, who are already limited in field goal range, this could pose a huge problem.

Despite the odds being stacked against them, there's a very real chance that the Bears can win on Monday even with Case Keenum starting. After all, the Bears pulled off a stunning Black Friday upset over the Eagles last year, and they did it while Caleb Williams played a forgettable game. If they can recreate that winning formula of a strong rushing attack and a bend-don't-break defense, we already know that that should be enough to beat the Eagles.

However, the Bears can't count on that kind of performance from the running game again. They may need to connect on several field goals if they want to avoid falling to 1-2 and joining the Packers at the bottom of the NFC North, and that's where the Eagles have a massive advantage. Knowing all this, head coach Ben Johnson may decide to lean into his devil-may-care style and go for it on as many fourth-down attempts as feasible.

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