When you are in the NFL, you have to be ready for every scenario, and for the coordinators of the Philadelphia Eagles, having two fewer days to prepare for a game is part of the challenge. The turnaround time is so fast, and that is what Vic Fangio and Kevin Patullo are facing this week ahead of the “Back in Black” game – the team is wearing all-black uniforms and helmets and the fans are encouraged to join in the fun and wear black for the 3 p.m. game against the Chicago Bears.
For Fangio, the task is facing a Bears offense that leads the NFL in explosive plays – defined as passing plays of 20 or more yards and running gains of 10-plus yards. Since Week 3, the Bears lead the NFC and are second in the NFL, averaging just under 400 yards per game.
For Patullo, the defense he’s facing has taken the football away 24 times, the most in the NFL. An Eagles offense looking to find consistency and start-to-finish production goes against a confident, ball-hawking group of defensive players.
With all of that, the Eagles are locked in. The short week and a chance to get back in the win column against a quality, NFC North-leading Bears team that has four consecutive wins and is 8-3 is special. That the game will be aired nationally on Prime (on FOX in the Philadelphia market) is invigorating.
First, the defense. Fangio knows the Bears have shown great playmaking skills under new head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback Caleb Williams, and with Sydney Brown in line to replace the injured Andrew Mukuba at safety, the Eagles have some puzzle pieces to fill in on the back end of the defense.
“It’s a great scheme. They do a great job calling the game, mixing it up, marrying their run game and their pass game,” Fangio said. “They’re highly ranked in a lot of areas, and I don’t think it’s any accident. They’ve got really good players and it’s a great scheme and a great play caller.
“Ben does a good job of mixing it up. They package things well together. They play multiple personnel groups, and they’re under center a good bit, probably more than most teams in this league. Kudos to him and his staff for bringing that young quarterback (Williams) along who I don’t think ever played under center in college. He’s doing a great job, and they have fought through any of the pitfalls of that and now they’ve got a quarterback that is executing their offense the way they want to.”