The Chicago Bears (3-11) were defeated, 25-20, by the Philadelphia Eagles (13-1), which marked their seventh straight loss of the season.
Perhaps the Eagles were looking ahead of a Christmas Eve matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Or maybe the Bears defense really just showed up to play. But Chicago kept this game close through all four quarters, and they only lost by five to arguably the NFL’s best team. I know we’re not in the market for moral victories, but you have to take them at this point of a 3-11 season.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what we saw during the game and how we graded the Bears in this loss.
Offense: C-
The Bears’ first offensive drive was a nightmare, which on the first four plays there were three penalties and two injured starters (Teven Jenkins and Equanimeous St. Brown). But Justin Fields saved us, just like he has throughout this terrible, no good 3-11 season, with an insane 39-yard run that was almost a touchdown. It did lead to a David Montgomery touchdown, and it’s important to note Chicago did lead at one point in this game (and only trailed 10-6 at halftime).
Fields has been the one saving grace during this disaster of a season, which has been more exciting than you’d think for a team sitting with 11 losses through 14 games. But that’s the magic of Fields, who continued to make magic out of nothing — down his top four receivers and best offensive lineman in Jenkins. Fields completed 14-of-21 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 119.5 passer rating. Oh, and once again, Fields made history. He not only broke the Bears’ single-season rushing record by a quarterback (surpassing Bobby Douglass), but he also broke the 1,000-yard rushing mark, joining Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson as the only QBs in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
Unfortunately, Fields was destroyed behind this offensive line. With Jenkins out, an already suspect offensive line was put into further disarray. Cody Whitehair and Alex Leatherwood didn’t have a good day at the office, combining for five sacks allowed (Whitehair, 3; Leatherwood, 2). With Chicago down four wideouts, rookie Velus Jones Jr. finally got an opportunity on offense. Unfortunately, he stood out in a bad way. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Jones fumbled on the ensuing possession, something he struggled with on special teams. Ultimately, the offense couldn’t capitalize on all three of Philly’s turnovers. Two of the three takeaways resulted in ensuing punts by Chicago while a Kyler Gordon fumble recovery, which set the Bears up on the Philadelphia 15-yard line, resulted in David Montgomery’s second touchdown.
Defense: B
The Bears defense came to play against the Eagles, and they kept arguably the NFL’s best offense in check for four quarters. It was nothing short of impressive, especially considering Philadelphia was dominating opposing defenses through the air and on the ground. For three-plus quarters, the Eagles were held to just 17 points. Chicago’s defense notched three takeaways on the afternoon, including two interceptions of Jalen Hurts, who had thrown just three picks all season. They also forced a fumble of Miles Sanders.
While the Bears only got to Hurts once for a sack — thank you, Joe Thomas — it was the young defensive backfield that shined. Rookie Kyler Gordon, returning to the lineup after missing two games, had his best game as a pro. Gordon accounted for two takeaways, including the first interception of Hurts and recovering a Miles Sanders fumble forced by Mike Pennel. Jaylon Johnson also had his best game of the season, battling Eagles wideout A.J. Brown. Johnson had three pass breakups in key situations, and he showed why he’s capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the league’s best. DeAndre Houston-Carson also had an interception on the afternoon.
It wasn’t a perfect outing by the defense — and Philadelphia did 421 yards of offense. But a bad Bears defense held a great Eagles offense to just 25 points, and ultimately gave Chicago a chance to win a game no one expected them to be in. That’s definitely not nothing.
Special teams: D+
It wasn’t a pretty day for the Bears special teams. The biggest blunder (or questionable call) came when Chicago opted to punt from Philadelphia’s 31-yard line instead of attempting a 49-yard field goal. Both Matt Eberflus and Cairo Santos said they agreed before the game that anything beyond 45 yards in the windy Soldier Field conditions was dangerous. Then there’s Santos, who’s been reliable since taking over in 2020, missing his fifth extra point of the season. Some other lowlights included illegal formation on the opening kickoff and the Bears’ field onside kick attempt. Trenton Gill’s booming 56-yard punt (that was downed inside the 5-yard line) was the highlight.
Coaching: B
Yes, the Bears are sitting at 3-11. But the one thing that hasn’t wavered this season is this team’s effort and resiliency, as they’ve battled some top teams (who have much better rosters) and haven’t ever given up. Chicago went toe-to-toe with arguably the best team in the NFL — giving them a scare for four straight quarters — and only lost by five points. Eventually, the better roster won out. But the Bears made the Eagles work for it. It speaks to the culture Matt Eberflus has instilled in this team, where they’re never going to stop competing. It just reaffirms to me that Flus is the right guy for the job. Just wait until he gets an adequate roster to coach.
