The Philadelphia Eagles are walking into a trap on Monday night if they think the Chicago Bears are harmless without Caleb Williams. Philly’s got a number they better remember: 281. That’s how many rushing yards Chicago absolutely piled up on them in a 24-15 win last November. You heard that right.
Remember That November Nightmare?
It wasn’t just some fluke, folks. The Bears went off for those 281 yards with two backs carrying the load: Kyle Monangai exploded for 130 yards and D’Andre Swift added a hefty 125. Yeah, Williams was in that game, but don’t get it twisted. Chicago’s control on the ground made it nearly impossible for Philadelphia to get anything going. That game was a masterclass in ground and pound, and the Eagles were caught flat-footed.
The Ground Game Is Still SCARY
Now, Williams is out with a hamstring injury, and Case Keenum is expected to start after Tyson Bagent cleared concussion protocol. You might think, “Okay, easier game for Philly.” WRONG. This quarterback change just makes Chicago’s rushing attack an even more glaring problem for the Eagles. Swift and Monangai haven’t slowed down one bit this season. Through Chicago’s first two games, Swift already has 169 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Monangai has ripped off 147 yards and a touchdown on just 20 carries. They both went over 100 yards in the Bears’ 59-37 season-opening demolition of Carolina. The Eagles’ own game preview even calls out run defense as the central test for Monday. If Monangai and Swift keep converting on early downs, Keenum’s job gets easier, and Jalen Hurts might spend half the night standing on the sideline, waiting for a chance.
Can Hurts Bail Them Out Again?
Jalen Hurts has been delivering for the Eagles when he does get the ball. He’s got five touchdown passes through two games, and he engineered a late touchdown drive last week to seal a 24-20 win over Tennessee. Philly is 2-0, but both wins were battles. This Monday Night Football matchup is way more interesting than the QB situation suggests. Hurts is a star, and the Eagles want to go 3-0. But the Bears have an injured starter, an unexpected replacement, and a running game that’s already proved it can wreck Philly’s night.
Philadelphia knows exactly what happened the last time they failed to slow down Swift and Monangai. Monday night’s going to show us if they finally found an answer to that monster ground game. Meanwhile, speaking of close games, a tough one for the Emerald City’s own: Marcus Mariota and the Commanders stunned the Seahawks, who fell 31-33. What a brutal finish. We’ll be keeping an eye on how Mike Macdonald’s squad responds next week!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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