The Chicago Bears return to the gridiron this weekend following their bye week and hit the ground running, facing one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. The Bears (3-10) square off against the Philadelphia Eagles (12-1) at Soldier Field in a matchup that pits one of the best teams against one of the worst.
At least the game presents an exciting quarterback matchup, one that could be recurring for years to come with Justin Fields and Jalen Hurts. But this game is more than just one position. The Eagles are loaded at nearly every level of their team, from skill players to defensive linemen and linebackers. Here are a few players we’ll be keeping an eye on when the game kicks off.
1. QB Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts is the leader in the MVP conversation at the moment and for good reason. The third-year quarterback has ascended to a star level, throwing for 3,157 yards with 22 passing touchdowns and just three interceptions. He’s also been a menace on the ground, rushing for 686 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.
Hurts has taken major steps as a professional quarterback thanks to coaching and increased weapons. He’s also the mold for the type of player Fields can become as he progresses. All eyes will be on Hurts when he takes the field on Sunday.
2. Miles Sanders
After three lackluster seasons, Eagles running back Miles Sanders finally broke out in a big way during his contract year. Sanders failed to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in any of previous three seasons, but has already surpassed that mark in 13 games and has 10 touchdowns to go with it. His workload increased considerably and he’s made the most of it, especially recently as he’s logged over 140 yards rushing in two of his last three games.
Sanders should be a focal point on offense for the Eagles this weekend and being that he’s a free agent, could give the Bears something to think about this offseason should they want to bring in another veteran running back.
3. WR A.J. Brown
Hurts has taken his play to the next level as a passer this season and that’s in large part due to the addition of A.J. Brown. The dynamic receiver was acquired via trade during the NFL Draft from the Tennessee Titans and gave Philadelphia their first true WR1 in years. Brown is the first receiver to break 1,000 yards receiving for the Eagles in eight years and, like Sanders, has scored 10 touchdowns for the season.
Whether he’s wide open after burning his defender or is covered like a blanket, Brown seems to make every catch no matter what. He’ll be a big test for players such as Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker, who are both returning from concussions.
4. DT Jordan Davis
Eagles rookie defensive tackle Jordan Davis may not have gaudy stats and has missed a chunk of the season, but he’s been one of the biggest keys to success for their defense. Davis shored up the Eagles run defense before getting hurt midway through the year.
The 2022 first-round pick recently returned to the field and has seen limited snaps, in part thanks to the solid play from veterans Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh. But Davis should see his snaps increase and will be one to watch when he goes up against the Bears offensive line and the run game.
5. LB Haason Reddick
If the Bears are worried about Fields getting sacked, they’ll need to contain Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick to make sure he stays upright. Reddick notched double-digit sacks for the third year in a row, all with different teams. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 2017, signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2021, and joined the Eagles this offseason. He began his career as an inside linebacker, but made the switch to edge rusher in 2020 and hasn’t looked back.
Reddick has become one of the league’s better pass rushers and is just now hitting his prime. The Bears offensive linemen will need to keep their head on a swivel with him.
6. CB Darius Slay
Bears fans know Darius Slay well from his days as a Detroit Lion. Since 2020, however, Slay has been a leader for the Eagles secondary and is in the middle of his best season since 2017. Slay has picked off three passes with 12 passes defensed. Quarterbacks aren’t able to do much against him, combining for a rating of 63.4 when throwing his way. Slay has additional help this year from players like James Bradberry, giving quarterbacks two lockdown cornerbacks to choose from.
This will be Slay’s first game against the Bears since he was a Lion and he already has three interceptions when facing them for his career. Hopefully that number doesn’t increase on Sunday.
