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The Eagles host the Chicago Bears in a Week 13 matchup at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday at 3 p.m. Here’s what you need to know about the game:

When the Eagles have the ball: If the rushing offense can’t get going against this Bears defense, it may never. I wrote the same ahead of the Cowboys game, and Saquon Barkley and Co. ended up doing very little on the ground. But Dallas leaned into its five-man front — to the Eagles’ surprise — and that’s been a scheme they’ve struggled with most of the season. The Bears don’t stray much from their four-man front in run situations, although they will bring a linebacker down to match heavy personnel. Could defensive coordinator Dennis Allen throw another curveball at the Eagles? I guess it’s possible. But Chicago’s personnel is suited to a 4-3 front and it stays in nickel personnel (72%) more than most defenses.

The Bears’ run defense has allowed 5.2 yards per carry, ranks 25th in expected points added (EPA) per rush, and 26th in rush success rate. They’ve been shorthanded at off-ball linebacker with Tremaine Edmunds placed on injured reserve last week and T.J. Edwards out after hand surgery. The Eagles should run at linebacker Noah Sewell (elbow) if he’s healthy — he’s missed eight tackle attempts vs. the run. They might want to dip further into the quarterback-run game. Jalen Hurts has been noticeably silent in that regard. He’s averaging 2.4 fewer carries per game than he did in his previous four seasons. Another solution could be a little more of Tank Bigsby (9.1-yard average per carry) at the expense of the dinged-up Barkley (groin).

The Bears aren’t much better in pass defense, at least efficiency-wise. But they force turnovers at a high rate — an NFL-best 20.9% — with safety Kevin Byard and cornerback Nahshon Wright tied atop the league with five interceptions apiece. Chicago added another ballhawk to the mix last month — former Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson — who’s back at his original slot cornerback spot. Allen blitzes at a relatively high rate (27.5%) and no offense has faced more blitzes than the Eagles (34%). Gardner-Johnson has three sacks already in blitzes from the slot. Montez Sweat is the Bears’ best rusher, and leads the team with 7½ sacks and 30 pressures. Eagles right tackle Fred Johnson will start in place of Lane Johnson for a second straight game and will see a lot of Sweat.

Allen will mix up his zones, with Cover 3 his most predominant in single-high safety looks and Cover 2 in split-safety looks. Hurts has thrown only one pick all season. DeVonta Smith (shoulder/chest) should play, but he won’t be at full strength. That could be additional reason to feature tight end Dallas Goedert in the middle of the field. The Bears have allowed 6.5 catches per game to tight ends. Goedert has been the Eagles’ best red zone threat this season (seven touchdowns), and Gardner-Johnson has historically been undisciplined inside the 20.

When the Bears have the ball: Ben Johnson is one of more innovative offensive minds in the NFL. The former Lions offensive coordinator has elevated Caleb Williams’ game, although the second-year quarterback has left meat on the bone by not playing within structure. He makes plays out of the pocket and on scrambles. But he holds the ball longer than any other quarterback at 3.23 seconds and has faced a decent amount of pressure (32%). To his credit, Williams has been sacked only 4.2% of the time, partly because he’s good at wriggling out of would-be tackles.

Williams has adapted to being more under center, which has added play-action to his tool belt. He ranks in the middle of the pack in play-action efficiency, but he also has avoided turnovers and ranks sixth in interception percentage (1.1). Rome Odunze is Williams’ favorite deep target. The second-year receiver has caught 8 of 23 targets of 20-plus yards for 218 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles dodged some bullets in the secondary with safety Reed Blankenship (thigh) and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (head injury) expected to be ready. But Drew Mukuba (ankle) was placed on injured reserve and Sydney Brown is slated to fill the void. Dallas went at Brown on Sunday and the Bears are likely to follow suit.

The Eagles’ back seven has mostly done a solid job of tackling after the catch, but Williams throws his receivers into space as well as any quarterback. He averages 5.98 yards after the catch on his throws. The Bears have a potent ground game — sixth in EPA per rush — with good blocking up the middle behind center Drew Dalman and left guard Joe Thuney. Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai average 4.6 and 4.7 yards a carry, respectively. Neither is especially adept in blitz pickup. I’d expect Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean to test both.

In terms of the Eagles’ pass rush, the Bears may need to help left tackle Theo Benedet vs. edge rushers Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith. Forced into the lineup two months ago, Benedet has allowed a team-high 20 pressures. Jaelan Phillips has a tougher matchup on the other side against right tackle Darnell Wright.

Extra point: The Bears stopped a Steelers Tush Push attempt last week. They didn’t appear to do anything exotic. But Pittsburgh pulled off a fake the next time it ran the play, with former Eagle Kenny Gainwell scoring a touchdown after a 54-yard run. Chicago later allowed two conversions on third-and-1 off more traditional quarterback sneaks. Center Cam Jurgens is clearly less than 100%, but the Eagles are unlikely to ditch their version of the Tush Push.

After losing their first two games, the Bears have won eight of nine. They have one victory against a team with a winning record — beating the 6-5 Steelers on Sunday, 31-28. The Eagles, obviously, shouldn’t sleep on Chicago. They’ve beaten some of the best teams in the league, but there could be a hangover after getting banged up in Texas. It may be too early to look ahead to playoff seeding, but a loss to the 8-3 Bears would drop the Eagles into third place in the conference.

I think the Eagles match up well against the Bears. I like Vic Fangio vs. most young quarterbacks, but Ben Johnson will offer a challenge. As far as the offense goes, I think that as long as the Eagles don’t turn the ball over, they should put up points. Chicago’s defense lives off the turnover, but the Birds are still among the best at protecting the ball, despite last week’s two giveaways. For the first time in weeks, I feel relatively confident about my pick. But we know how that usually pans out.

Prediction: Eagles, 30-20.

Like any seasoned holiday shopper, the Eagles know exactly what they’re looking for on Black Friday — a win.

After squandering a 21-0 first-half lead to the Cowboys in Dallas last week, the Birds will host the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears at Lincoln Financial Field on Friday.

Here’s everything you need to know about the team’s Week 13 matchup…

How to watch Eagles vs. Bears

The Birds’ game against the Bears will stream live for free on Amazon Prime Video at 3 p.m., with Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit on the call and Kaylee Hartung on the sidelines. The game will be shown for free, meaning fans do not need an Amazon Prime subscription to access the broadcast. Fox 29 will also carry the Prime broadcast over the air to viewers in the Philadelphia area.

If you want to listen to Merrill Reese and Mike Quick on the call, the radio broadcast can be found on WIP-FM (94.1). And if you want to watch the game with fellow Birds fans, these are the spots to check out.

Eagles-Bears injury report

The Eagles are expecting to be without Lane Johnson for a second week after the veteran offensive lineman suffered a foot injury in the team’s Week 11 win over the Lions. Johnson did not move to the injured reserve list, indicating he may come back sooner than initially expected, but he did not participate in practice on Tuesday or Wednesday. The Birds will also be without Drew Mukuba, as the rookie safety suffered a right leg fracture in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against Dallas.

DeVonta Smith’s status for Friday is also uncertain, as the receiver was a non-participant in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. Brandon Graham’s status is uncertain, after being a limited participant in practice on Wednesday after sitting out for Tuesday’s practice.

The final injury report will come out on Thursday, but here is what the two teams’ reports looked like as of Wednesday afternoon …

Eagles vs. Bears odds

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Eagles were 7-point favorites at DraftKings and 6.5-point favorites at FanDuel. Both sportsbooks have set the projected point total at 44.5.

Storylines to watch

The Eagles’ season-long offensive struggles were amplified in the second half of their loss to Dallas last Sunday. The Cowboys held the Birds scoreless in the second half and scored 24 unanswered to storm back from a 21-point second-quarter deficit.

The Birds’ second-half collapse has intensified the public scrutiny of Kevin Patullo’s play-calling in his first season as offensive coordinator. Patullo’s offense is averaging 23.2 points per game, which ranks 17th among all NFL teams. Nick Sirianni said the Eagles are “searching for answers” on offense but that he was not considering demoting Patullo from his play-calling responsibilities.

Defensively, the depth of the Eagles’ secondary will be tested against the Bears. Mukuba, a rookie who has made 10 starts alongside Reed Blankenship at safety, suffered a right leg fracture during the team’s loss to Dallas that required surgery and may sideline him for the rest of the season.

Blankenship also exited the Dallas game with a thigh injury and was a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice, but Vic Fangio expects the safety to play on Friday. Sydney Brown will start in place of the injured Mukuba.

Here are a few more storylines …

• Eagles will wear appropriate uniforms for Black Friday — and are asking fans to do the same
• Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young’s father died suddenly in March. He’s found a way to keep Kenny Young close.
• Kevin Patullo says his unit has ‘got to get rid’ of penalties that slowed the Eagles’ offense in Dallas

One number to know

9: The total number of games the Eagles have played on a Friday since the franchise was founded in 1933. The Eagles opened the 2024 season with a Friday night win over the Green Bay Packers in Brazil, but prior to that, the Birds had not taken the field on a Friday since 1960.

Eagles-Lions predictions

Our writers aren’t in agreement when it comes to their predictions for Black Friday …

Jeff McLane: I think the Eagles match up well against the Bears. I like Vic Fangio vs. most young quarterbacks, but Ben Johnson will offer a challenge. As far as the offense goes, I think that as long as the Eagles don’t turn the ball over, they should put up points. Chicago’s defense lives off the turnover, but the Birds are still among the best at protecting the ball, despite last week’s two giveaways. For the first time in weeks, I feel relatively confident about my pick. But we know how that usually pans out. | Prediction: Eagles 30, Bears 20

Olivia Reiner: If the Eagles can’t run the ball on the Bears, it’s officially time to sound the alarm (if the red flags haven’t already been there). … I had this game as a win for the Eagles before the season started. But given the state of the Eagles’ offense over the last few games, I’m picking a narrow upset. | Prediction: Bears 30, Eagles 27

Jeff Neiburg: Sure, the Bears are 8-3 after winning four consecutive games. But they’re doing the thing that teams do sometimes when they’re turning a corner after some down seasons: taking advantage of an easy schedule. Their win Sunday vs. the Steelers, 31-28, was their first against a team with a winning record. | Prediction: Eagles 27, Bears 17

National media picks

Here’s how the national media is leaning for Friday …

• ESPN: Eagles
• NFL.com: Eagles
• CBS Sports: Eagles
• Sports Illustrated: Bears
• USA Today: Eagles
• Sporting News: Eagles
• Bleacher Report: Bears

What we’re saying about the Eagles

Here’s what our columnists are saying about the Eagles this week, starting with Mike Sielski, who argues that last Sunday’s collapse might put the Birds’ coaching staff under team owner Jeffrey Lurie’s microscope:

Mike Sielski: “It is, of course, true that the offensive line’s decline is a huge factor in the Eagles’ overall regression, maybe the biggest factor, and that reality, one could argue, should absolve Nick Sirianni, Kevin Patullo, Jalen Hurts, and anyone else for an 8-3 team that feels like it’s 3-8. But it’s naive to think, given the nature of Sunday’s loss and the arc of this season, that Lurie isn’t taking a long, hard look at the coaching staff, Sirianni included.” Read more.

David Murphy: “In order for Sirianni to make a change, he would need to be reasonably confident that things would get better. If not, things would get appreciably worse. Sirianni and the Eagles would be operating from a position of weakness for the duration of the season. The worst thing they can do right now is panic. We’ve seen how that sort of thing ends.” Read more.

What the Bears are saying

With the Packers and Lions close behind, the 8-3 Bears are looking to stay on top of a hotly contested NFC North with a win over the NFC East-leading Eagles. Bears safety Kevin Byard, a Philly native and former Eagle, called Friday’s game a “heavyweight matchup.”

“This is a team that was just in the Super Bowl,” Byard said. “They have a winning culture, they have a winning mentality. We preach 60 minutes. We know they’re going to be a 60-minute team as well. … This is a heavyweight matchup for sure and obviously, we’re going into a hostile environment in a stadium that I played in, played against.”

Here’s what else the Bears had to say …

Byard on the Eagles’ success despite offensive struggles: “Stats for the entire offense have been down, but they’re finding ways to win. I mean, look at us, our stats haven’t been great on defense but we’re finding ways to win. … Stats is something we can all look at and judge. But at the end of the day, they’re finding ways to win. I think that’s just a testament of their culture and our culture. So, it’s definitely going to be a challenge for us. Just culture against culture, whose culture is better?”

Quarterback Caleb Williams on Jalen Hurts: “[We talked about how] there’s not many like us in our position — who we are, skin tone, and all these different things — there’s not many like us. So, just being able to understand the opportunity that we have and I have to maximize that and put myself in the best opportunity possible. It was kind of that type of talk. Jalen, you’ve heard all his bits. He’s pretty motivational when he speaks up here.”

Head coach Ben Johnson on Vic Fangio: “He’s like the Godfather in a lot of ways. He’s kind of taken the lead over in terms of that scheme. … He’s influenced the game significantly. I never worked with Vic but a lot of respect from afar, obviously. The people that have worked with him speak so highly of how he calls a game. He’s usually a step ahead of the opposing play-callers. So, it’ll be a challenge here just to make sure that we’re trying to keep him as off-balance as we possibly can.”

What the national media is saying

Former Eagles quarterback and Super Bowl LII MVP Nick Foles raised concerns about the Birds’ offense before their loss to Dallas on his podcast. Foles criticized the Eagles’ “simplistic” route designs and disjointed play-calling, which he thinks have contributed to the team’s offensive decline this season.

“So the creativity is key as a play-caller, and calling the plays at the right time,” Foles said to The SZN co-host Evan Moore. “There’s just an art. And I don’t see that this year. I don’t think anyone sees it. Fans that are passionate Eagles fans — because I’ve been to Philly several times — and you hear, every time I run across Philly fans, ’Man, what do you think is going to happen with the offense? What’s going on? Is this Jalen [Hurts]?’ I’m like, ‘Listen, it’s a team thing. Kevin Patullo is probably a great dude, a great coach, but there’s an art to play-calling that not everyone has and it’s not showing up this year.”

Here’s what else the national media is saying about the Birds …

Dan Orlovsky on the offense: “They’re one-dimensional. They’re pass-only success when it comes to the offense’s ability. Their offensive line loses one-on-ones, they’re predictable in the run game, Saquon [Barkley] has not made people miss in space nearly as much as he was last year, and their routes — you can be predictable on offense if you’re creative with your route concepts. They’re not.”

Cam Newton on their struggles: “A team of that caliber, we don’t expect those things to happen to them. The thing that’s alarming is, the first three drives you score, you come out with a bang, we impose our will. The last eight drives, nothing. The frustration stems from, when are the Philadelphia Eagles are going to put it together, all together? You’re starting to say, is it the offensive coordinator? Is it the quarterback? The players? That’s where my frustration comes in. When you have that much talent, and to not have one game — here we are in [Game] 11 — to not be able to say, they figured it out.”

Jason Kelce on the offensive line: “[Lane Johnson] has meant so much to the Philadelphia Eagles … but it’s not just him this year, the whole offensive line has been banged up. They’ve been a top 10 rushing unit, as an offense, the Eagles have, every year since Jalen Hurts has been the starter. This year is the first year they have really struggled to run the football. A lot of it comes down to being banged up and not being the cohesive unit they have been, and healthy, in the past, but it is crippling this offense right now.”

What else we’re reading and watching

🏈 Bucko Kilroy was once called the NFL’s dirtiest player. He became much more than that in a six-decade career. On Friday, he goes into the Eagles Hall of Fame.

🔢 These numbers show Saquon Barkley’s drop-off from his historic 2024 season with the Eagles.

😱 Fear factors: David Murphy ranks the Eagles’ road to the Super Bowl, from the real Rams to the fraud Bears

👀 Jason Kelce and “New Heights” will host a free Black Friday tailgate for Eagles fans, featuring a “belly bucking” competition.