The Chicago Bears take on the Philadelphia Eagles for the Monday Night Football game in Week 3. With the Eagles sitting at 2-0, they come to Soldier Field to take on a 1-1 Bears team that's lacking their star quarterback. The Bears have yet to announce which quarterback is starting, but they've officially ruled out Caleb Williams.
Tyson Bagent stands as the typical backup to Williams, but a trip to the concussion protocol limited his practices during the week. During that time, veteran quarterback Case Keenum took reps with the first team, causing many to believe that he'll likely start the game. Then Bagent cleared protocol on Sunday, and carries no injury designation moving into Monday's game.
The Eagles are built to make Chicago pay
The Eagles are a formidable opponent, having won Super Bowl LIX before the Seahawks took their throne last season. But the components that are largely responsible for that Super Bowl win are still present. Head coach Nick Sirianni is still there, as well as star players in Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, among many more. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, once the DC for the Bears, is now in his third season with the Eagles.
It's very difficult to make a projection on this game due to the floating factors in place. It becomes a vastly different game depending on who starts for the Bears, and the Eagles likely want revenge after their tough loss at the hands of Chicago last season. It doesn't help that it also happened to be the occasion that Bears' head coach Ben Johnson ripped his shirt off in celebration following the game, a moment that went viral.
Due to the limited practice he had this week, I think it unlikely that Bagent makes the start. Coach Johnson has repeatedly said that he believes Keenum knew the position when he agreed to come to Chicago, and this is exactly the type of thing that he should be prepared for. Keenum may not be as mobile as Bagent, but given what we've seen from Bagent this season, Keenum is the right choice to start. Bagent can still stand in as backup and treat Monday night as a normal week, business as usual.
Through two weeks, the Eagles have had a significantly better defense than the Bears. Chicago had a rough time against the Vikings, only managing 3 points after slamming 59 in the season opener against Carolina. Without Caleb Williams to push this offense over the hump, I fear they may not have enough to make it.
My final score projection: Bears 10, Eagles 23
Keenum is a weathered veteran, but I don't think he'll be ready for the Eagles defense like an every day starter would. Even if it's Bagent who starts, he's not gained many confidences this season, including preseason.
The Eagles will be able to run all day on the Bears defense, and if Saquon Barkley is on form, he'll be a force to be reckoned with. Jalen Hurts as the every day starter should have all the pieces he needs to walk away with a victory.
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