This one is special, what with the uniqueness of a 3 p.m. kickoff on Black Friday, with the “Back in Black” theme that encourages all fans to wear black and create an incredible atmosphere, and with the understanding that, yeah, this one is another huge challenge against a very good football team.
Friday’s game against the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears, 8-3 just like the Eagles, is a feature affair, the only game in the league on Friday, and a great test for the Eagles. Chicago has reversed its 2024 misfortunes by hiring Ben Johnson as the head coach, drafting smartly, rebuilding the offensive line through the NFL Draft, and nurturing and accelerating the progress of quarterback Caleb Williams.
And so, this is a matchup of division leaders with playoff implications on the line and a whole lot of storylines to discuss …
1. The Eagles offense: Searching for that complete performance
Philadelphia scored 21 points in the first half at Dallas and then did not score in the second half in the 24-21 defeat. There were too many penalties, a fumble by the offense and on a punt return, a missed field goal attempt, and clearly other chances to put points on the board. That has been, in many shapes and forms, a consistent theme throughout the season.
“That’s disappointing and that’s frustrating, but it’s going to give us an opportunity on a short week to get out there and get after the Bears,” Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo said. “So, there’s a lot to be encouraged by. But at the same time, when those things happen, when you go into the locker room after the game, the frustration levels are high, right? We know how close we were and if those things don’t go the way they go, it’s a whole other outcome.”
The running game, in particular, has not found traction all season, and the Eagles are continuing to explore ways to get Saquon Barkley in gear. It won’t be easy against this Bears defense …