3 causes for concern as Bears battle Eagles on Black Friday

The Chicago Bears will face their toughest test of the season on Black Friday, traveling on the road on a short week to take on the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. With all of the success they had in 2024, ending with the hoisting of the Vince Lombardi trophy, Philadelphia was expected to be one of the most dangerous teams this season while the Bears were an unknown coming into their first year with head coach Ben Johnson.

Both teams are now tied with an 8-3 record on the season and sit in first place in their respective divisions, but the narrative has changed significantly with them both. Philadelphia has been average, at best, on offense recently and have seen superstar wide receiver AJ Brown vent his frustrations with his role. Meanwhile, Chicago, in the first year under Johnson, have become an offensive juggernaut.

Both teams are in good position to make the playoffs, but with plenty of season left to go, this national holiday game is pivotal for both sides. Here's a look at the top three causes for concern as the Bears visit the Eagles on Friday.

Injuries

The Bears were decimated by injuries in last week's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, most notably having all three of their starting linebackers ruled out for the game. There's no word on the pending return of Noah Sewell and T.J. Edwards, but Tremaine Edmunds was placed on injured reserve last week, so there's a big loss still at the position. On a short week, it'll be hard to determine if, when, and who the Bears could get back on the field, including cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Chicago would have quite the benefit in any of their starters returning, but if they can get Johnson and Gordon back for a matchup against AJ Brown and Devonta Smith, it could only be beneficial for their defense. There's also the other side, in which Chicago could elect to give more time for rest given the short week they'll have.

An angry Eagles team

Right now, the topic of conversation in all the NFL media circles has become about what is wrong with the Eagles. Not only have they had disgruntled stars over the last few weeks, but they just blew a 21-point lead to their bitter rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and now there are even more questions regarding the team. The Bears could be on the receiving end of an angry Eagles team looking to "get right" and "prove themselves" which, with the talent they have on both sides of the ball, could make for a long night in Philadelphia for Chicago. There's a chance the Eagles come out looking to punch the Bears in the mouth or, Chicago could be getting their opponent at the perfect time as they continue to fight within themselves for answers.

Rushing defense

No matter how the Eagles are performing as a team, running back Saquon Barkley is still pretty darn good. On paper, Barkley has an opportunity to have quite the game against Chicago, taking on a Bears defense that has given up over 133 rushing yards per game this season. The defense can certainly get takeaways, but an Eagles offense that can ride on Barkley and the legs of quarterback Jalen Hurts, could be a recipe for disaster. Also, there's the weekly narrative on how the Eagles will use the Tush Push to either extend drives, catch the defense off guard, or score goal line touchdowns. Chicago's going to have their hands full in the running game, and it could make all the difference in the matchup.

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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Eagles: Causes for concern for Chicago on Black Friday