The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-1 after losing to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday. Final score: 27 to 7.
After getting bullied by the Bears in Philly last year, all eyes were on this Eagles defense to be better this time around. They were not. Vic Fangio’s group got owned by Ben Johnson. They got torched by 38-year-old Case Keenum, a third-string quarterback who hadn’t played in an NFL game since 2023. Keenum’s final numbers: 24/34, 247 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 110.8 passer rating. And one of those incompletions was Rome Odunze dropping a touchdown.
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This loss isn’t JUST on the defense. The offense had a chance to take a lead to start the second half … and instead went three-and-out three times in a row. They ran nine plays for just seven yards. One of those drives ended with Nick Sirianni inexplicably deciding to punt from 4th-and-1 at the minus 49-yard line. Sirianni did not have a very good night in terms of strategy. Not to mention that his team didn’t exactly look ready to play on Monday night.
Pretty bad and concerning loss.
Next up for the Eagles: a home game against the Los Angeles Rams. LA has failed to live up to massive preseason hype but they could very well beat this team.
Read on for a recap and stay tuned for BGN’s postgame coverage. Also, check me out the PHLY Eagles postgame show.
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FIRST QUARTER
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The Eagles won the coin toss and elected to defer, per usual. The Eagles had Braden Mann as a 12th man on the field for kickoff once again, this time holding the ball on a tee after that was a point of discussion coming out of Week 2.
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The Bears started at their own 32-yard line. Marcus Epps immediately missed a tackle on the first play from scrimmage. The Bears quickly picked up a first down with a tight end screen. Two straight passes before the Bears’ first running play. Then another Case Keenum completion for a first down into plus territory. The Bears went with a toss to old friend D’Andre Swift to set up 2nd-and-1. Another Keenum completion for another first down … before expedited review revealed the ball hit the ground between Cole Kmet’s legs. Facing 3rd-and-1, the Bears’ run was stopped short of the marker. But then Keenum found a wide open Sam Roush on fourth down for an easy first down. Ben Johnson in his bag early. Facing 3rd-and-2, Keenum flipped shorst to Luther Burden, who was initially stopped before he was pushed by his teammates into the end zone. Not the kind of start you wanted to see from an Eagles defense that got bullied by the Bears last year. Got outmuscled to give up a score. EAGLES 0, BEARS 7.
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The Eagles took over at their own 25-yard line. Jalen Hurts’ first pass was a first down to completion to an open crossing Makai Lemon. Another Lemon target that wasn’t doomed from the start! Nice to see. The Eagles picked up another first down with a Saquon Barkley run to the left edge. Facing 3rd-and-6, Hurts got called for intentional grounding after facing quick pressure. Facing 3rd-and-16, a Hurts dumpoff to … Johnny Mundt … picked up just five yards. Punt from the plus 46-yard line … that went out of bounds at the 16-yard line. Only a net of 30 yards. Bad stuff from Mann but Nick Sirianni might’ve wanted to be more aggressive there in no man’s land.
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The Bears took over at their own 16-yard line. They quickly moved just shy of midfield before Riq Woolen was flagged for defensive holding. Facing 3rd-and-6 around midfield, the Bears thought they had a free play with Moro Ojomo jumping early … but the refs clearly thought Ojomo didn’t jump offside. Keenum’s downfield pass was incomplete to bring up a punt. The Bears’ punt was downed nicely at the 2-yard line. Jonathan Jones could’ve tried to pick up the ball for a free return since the Bears touched it … but he just watched Chicago down it. Cool. Or not! The Bears actually touched the ball while a player’s foot was on the goal line for a touchback. Lucky break there.
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The Eagles took over at their own 20-yard line. Unnecessary Tyler Steen holding penalty wiped out a big Saquon Barkley run to the left for a first down and more. Hurts checked down to Tank Bigsby, who fumbled for a Bears recovery. Awesome.
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The Bears took over at the plus 15-yard line. They reached third down to bring up the end of the first quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
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Facing 3rd-and-6, Andrew Mukuba almost came up with a pick on a Keenum throw. But the Eagles’ third down stop was negated by another Woolen penalty that looked weak, just like his first. Next play, Keenum hit Colston Loveland for a score. Upon review, Loveland was just shy of the goal line. Jalen Carter came up with a big TFL to knock the Bears back. Facing 3rd-and-goal, Keenum’s pass to a wide open Rome Odunze was bobbled and incomplete as the receiver fell out of bounds with Nolan Smith in coverage. Phew. Johnson kept his offense on the field … and Keenum’s pass was knocked down by Quinyon Mitchell! Huge stop for a turnover on downs. If I’m getting greedy, a pick six could’ve been pretty nice there.
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The Eagles took over at their own 3-yard line and a false start knocked them back a yard. Facing 3rd-and-1, the Eagles lined up in the gun and Hurts hit a crossing DeVonta Smith who was schemed open. Then DeVonta drew a pass interference flag on the Bears to move the offense a little shy of midfield. Barkley broke off a run just shy of the red zone. A Lane Johnson holding penalty was wiped out by a late Bears hit on Hurts out of bounds. Hurts was pulled from the game by a concussion spotter and Andy Dalton came in. Barkley broke off a run to the 1-yard line. Facing 3rd-and-goal after Barkley was stuffed twice, Dalton threw a ball right to a Bears defender. Cool, man. Why the fuck are you passing the ball there?! Do not trust Dalton!!!
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The Bears took over at their own 20-yard line. Keenum got a big completion to Odunze despite facing quick pressure in his face from Jonathan Greenard. Keenum ripped off another 22-yard completion in a soft spot between Cooper DeJean and Marcus Epps. Facing 3rd-and-10, Keenum made a tight window throw for another first down. Back-to-back TFLs knocked the Bears back to 3rd-and-goal from the 11-yard line. Facing 3rd-and-goal, Keenum couldn’t connect with his target and the Bears had to settle for a field goal. EAGLES 0, BEARS 10.
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The Eagles took over at their own 33-yard line with 1:46 on the clock and two timeouts to work with. Hurts to Dontayvion Wicks picked up a first down. Hurts to DeVonta down the right sideline was complete with a great contested catch by the receiver. Then Hurts hit Zach Ertz (!) to set up 2nd-and-1. Facing 3rd-and-1, Hurts ran for a first down and the Eagles called their final timeout at 0:19. Lining up at the 9-yard line, the Eagles went with a screen and the time nearly ran out as DeVonta was stopped short of the goal line … but the Eagles were able to get a tush push off for a touchdown! PHEW. Zero margin for error there. Just barely got the snap off before the second quarter expired. 8-play, 67-yard touchdown drive. Much-needed. EAGLES 7, BEARS 10.
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THIRD QUARTER
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The Eagles began the second half with a chance to take the lead as they took over at their own 20-yard line. Facing 3rd-and-5 after two Barkley touches, Hurts was nearly picked off by old friend T.J. Edwards as the Bears brought a blitz. Fortunate they were able to punt instead.
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The Bears took over at their own 32-yard line. It didn’t take long for the Bears to move past midfield. Keenum survived an unblocked Jalyx Hunt bearing down on him to float a pass to an open target for another first down. Just not a very inspiring performance against a third-string QB. Facing 3rd-and-5, Mitchell read Odunze’s route and knocked down Keenum’s pass for a big stop. The Bears settled for a 48-yard field goal make. EAGLES 7, BEARS 13.
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The Eagles took over at their own 35-yard line. After a one-yard run, the Eagles DID THAT STUPID SHIT WHERE THEY THROW THE BALL BACKWARDS TO LEMON AND THE DEFENSE IS NEVER FOOLED. LEMON GOT BLOWN UP FOR A THREE-YARD LOSS. Facing 3rd-and-12, Hurts to Will Shipley short of the sticks along the left sideline was incomplete. Incredibly stupid drive. So stupid. Infuriating!
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The Bears took over at their own 29-yard line. They moved past midfield and the Eagles busted a coverage as Keenum found Kalif Raymond for a 41-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Totally untouched. Very bad showing by Vic Fangio’s defense. EAGLES 7, BEARS 20.
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The Eagles took over at their own 40-yard line. Hurts slid for a sack and then Barkley was stopped for no gain. Facing 3rd-and-12, a Hurts dump off to Shipley picked up 11 yards. Facing 4th-and-1 (a long one, at that) at their own 49-yard line, the Eagles brought out their offense just to try to draw the defense offside. It predictably didn’t work and the Eagles took the delay of game penalty and punted. Real gutless stuff by Sirianni. Trusting your defense that’s getting gutted instead of the offense?
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The Bears took over at their own 15-yard line. Facing 4th-and-12, Keenum’s pass was broken up by Cooper DeJean. Well, good job by the defense to settle in and force a three-and-out.
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The Eagles took over at their own 30-yard line. Hurts hit Wicks for 19 yards and a first down. Facing 3rd-and-9 after Hurts was unable to keep the ball in bounds on a throw to DeVonta, Hurts hit DeVonta short of the sticks to set up a shorter fourth down. Facing 4th -and-5, Hurts’ pass was picked off by Edwards with the Bears entirely ready for him to throw to DeVonta Smith.
FOURTH QUARTER
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The Bears took over at their own 42-yard line. They reached a 4th-and-2 and got the Eagles to jump offside, Sirianni’s wet dream … used against him. The Bears slowly but surely moved into the red zone. Facing 3rd-and-6 after a false start, Keenum was sacked but Mukuba was called for holding to wipe out the stop. A few plays later, Keenum found the end zone to put the game out of reach. EAGLES 7, BEARS 27.
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The Eagles took over at their own 40-yard line. Facing 4th-and-22 in plus territory, Hurts’ throw went of bounds for a turnover on downs.
EAGLES LINEUP NOTES
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Johnny Mundt, not Zach Ertz, was first up at tight end in 11 personnel (one tight end on the field).
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Michael Carter II rotated in at safety after Marcus Epps struggled on the Bears’ first drive. But then Epps came back in.
EAGLES INJURY NEWS
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Jalen Hurts took a late hit out of bounds. He was a little slow to get up but stayed in the game originally. But then he was pulled by the concussion spotters to bring Andy Dalton into the game. Hurts was cleared to return.
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