Chicago Bears: Three potential pitfalls vs. Eagles
Scenario #3: Nick Foles catches fire
It’s been an odd season for the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles. Star quarterback Carson Wentz was still recovering from a knee injury early this season, and backup Nick Foles came in to help the team in Wentz’s absence.
Foles is no ordinary backup. He caught lightning in a bottle last year when he replaced an injured Wentz late in the season. What followed was nothing short of a fairy tale that ended with Foles as Super Bowl MVP.
When Wentz came back this season, the Eagles didn’t look impressive whatsoever. They failed to move the ball downfield, even after trading for another wideout in Golden Tate. The Eagles were on the outside of the playoff picture at 6-7 just three weeks ago.
Coincidentally, it was three weeks ago when Foles again replaced Wentz, who is now out with a back injury. The Eagles offense suddenly came alive, and they won three straight games to get to the postseason.
"The Eagles became the most dangerous team left in the playoffs because they've turned back into the defending champs, and I believe they're going to win this game." — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/YwqSXn0T8k
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 4, 2019
One thing Foles excels at is releasing the ball quickly after the snap. He consistently releases the ball in under 2.5 seconds in the Eagles offense. The Bears are giving up an average of over 23 points per game this season when a quarterback has a release under that time.
If Foles gets into a rhythm and starts picking the Bears apart with underneath throws, it could be a long day in Chicago. Hopefully, the defense has a game plan ready if Foles is looking to get the ball out fast during each snap.
My main concern is that the Bears are playing the hottest team in the NFC besides themselves, but one thing this team doesn’t lack is confidence.
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I feel like this is the least likely scenario, and I don’t mean to bring it up to highlight a weakness of this defense. The fact is the Bears have the best defense in the NFL, and I hope that they prove to the entire country just how good they are on the way to the Super Bowl.