Three Matchups To Keep A Close Eye On For Eagles To Ensure Week 3 Victory

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles will attempt to stay unbeaten on the young season when they visit Soldier Field on Monday night.

For most of the week, it was shaping up like Chicago would be down to third-string quarterback Case Keenum after Caleb Williams’ hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent’s status in concussion protocol. By Saturday, Bagent was back at practice, so the extra day could be meaningful and Bagent may be available as long as head coach Ben Johnson, who is a stickler about practice, feels one session and a walkthrough is enough for the backup.

Whether it’s Bagent or Keenum, though, it still puts even more weight on the Chicago run game, which leads the NFL early this season and gouged the Eagles' front in the 2025 season.

Bears run game vs. Eagles defensive front

Chicago averages 212.5 rushing yards per game and 6.1 yards per carry through two weeks, both league-best marks. The one-two punch of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai continues to be impressive.

Swift, a former Eagle and Philadelphia native, has 169 yards and three touchdowns in two games whole Monangai has 147 yards. The duo combined for 255 yards last November when the Bears rushed for 281 total in a 24-15 win at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles. meanwhile, have allowed 127 rushing yards per game and DC Vic Fangio likes to play light boxes to limit explosive plays in the passing game.

However, without Williams, that becomes less of an issue so don’t be surprised if Fangio uses more five-man fronts than usual and occasionally even drops a six-man front to try to slow down the strength of Johnson’s offense.

“They are one of the better running teams in the league,” Fangio admitted. “They’ve got a really great O-line, great backs. Their scheme is good. We’re going to have to play it a whole lot better.”

Johnson’s motion, tight-end usage, and gap schemes create numbers problems for defenses like the Eagles that prefer to play nickel and two-high safeties at the snap. Particularly pay attention to Darnell Wright and Jonah Jackson on the right side of the Bears O-Line, which may be the best run-clocking duo in the NFL.

The Eagles will also need to sure up their tackling after a poor performance in that aspect at Tennessee last week.

If the Eagles are efficient at stopping the run, it’s unlikely the Bears passing game will be able to overcome that with Williams sidelined.

Drew Kendall on the road in a tough environment

Second-year Eagles center Drew Kendall, a 2025 fifth-round pick out of Boston College, made his first meaningful start last week when Landon Dickerson went on injured reserve and Cam Jurgens slid to left guard. He handled snaps and protections in the heat of Nashville as the Eagles escaped with a 24-20 win.

Eagles fans took over Nissan Stadium, however, and that’s not going to be possible in Chicago, meaning Kendall will have to handle protections in a less-than-optimal environment for the first time.

The Bears front will try to confuse Kendall while he communicates protections with quarterback Jalen Hurts and the reshuffled line as a whole continues it’s search for continuity.

Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter vs. Garrett Bradbury

The Eagles’ disruptive interior duo of Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, had its worst game last season against the Bears and Carter was shut down for a month afterward due to persistent shoulder pain.

Carter is dealing with a wrist injury this time around but is much closer to the optimal version of Jalen Carter while Davis has been his usual self as one of the better two-down run-stuffers in the league.

Davis should see Bradbury on early downs and Carter in obvious passing situations. It might serve as the biggest mismatch on the field for the Eagles.

Bradbury is coming off a game where he was overwhelmed by the Minnesota front last week, which is good but not nearly as accomplished as what Philadelphia will throw at him.

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