For the second consecutive season, the Chicago Bears will have a primetime matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. This time, the clash between the two NFC teams will be at Soldier Field, as part of the prestigious Monday Night Football in Week 3 of the 2026 season.
On Black Friday last season, for the 13th week of 2025, coach Ben Johnson’s team traveled to Lincoln Financial Field and secured an impressive 24-15 victory over Nick Sirianni’s Eagles, demonstrating a dominant performance.
Johnson’s offense in that game recorded an impressive 281 rushing yards, marking Chicago’s second-highest performance in that regard in 2025. Freshman Kyle Monangai stood out with 22 carries for 130 yards and a touchdown, while senior D’Andre Swift added 125 rushing yards and another touchdown on 18 attempts.
Quarterback Caleb Williams completed 17 of 36 passes for 154 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. His only touchdown pass came with 6 minutes, 19 seconds left in the fourth quarter, when Williams found Cole Kmet in the left end zone on a set play to the left, giving the Bears a 24-9 lead.
After the game, coach Johnson celebrated effusively with his team, taking off his shirt and leading the “good, better, best” chant. It was a remarkable moment in a season full of memorable events for the team.
AJ Brown’s departure and the Philadelphia Eagles’ new aerial attack
One of the main points of interest for the Eagles’ 2025 season was the dynamic between quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver AJ Brown. Regardless of the stability of that partnership, Brown’s trade to the New England Patriots means the Philadelphia Eagles will field a different lineup on offense in 2026, opening up a significant hole.
In the previous year’s matchup against the Bears, Brown had a memorable performance, with 10 receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns, which underlines the importance of his absence for the rematch.
To make up for Brown’s departure, the Eagles used the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound young talent racked up 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in his final season for the Trojans, bringing the prospect of new dynamism to the team.
Interestingly, Lemon had already faced Dillon Thieneman, the Bears’ first draft pick in 2025. In that game, Lemon recorded seven receptions for 34 yards and two touchdowns, indicating a possible reunion on the field.
Defensive reinforcement: Jonathan Greenard and the new Eagles line
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is known for his ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The team became even stronger after acquiring Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for two third-round draft picks.
Greenard, a specialist in pressuring the QB, at 6’1″ and 250 pounds, is now part of the Eagles’ already potent defensive line, which features names like Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Nolan Smith Jr. The defense also retains its top names in sacks from last year: edge rusher Jalyx Hunt (6.5 sacks) and defensive lineman Moro Ojomo (6 sacks).
In five previous games against the Bears, Greenard has racked up 3.5 sacks, forced two fumbles and totaled 16 tackles, making him a familiar and dangerous threat to Chicago’s offense.
Important numbers for the Philadelphia Eagles offense
Philadelphia Eagles offensive statistics provide an in-depth look at their performance.
- Sacks conceded/total pressures: 35 (tied for 20th) / 119 (tied for 22nd)
- Three outs and out: 50 (2nd highest number)
- Long passes completed (over 20 yards): 42 (24th)
- Long plays (10+ yard runs): 55 (tied for 7th)
- Red Zone Touchdowns: 31 (tied for 16th)
Philadelphia Eagles defense performance in numbers
Analyzing the Eagles’ defensive numbers is also crucial to understanding the team.
- Total sacks/pressures: 42 (tied for 12th) / 143 (tied for 10th)
- Long plays allowed (10+ yard run and 20+ yard pass): 101 (13th place)
- Rating of passes allowed by the opponent: 75.4 (31st)
- Opponent’s touchdowns in the red zone: 26 (tied for 25th)
- Percentage of third-down conversions allowed by the opponent: 40.5% (12th place)