Eagles vs. Bears predictions: Our writers pick a winner for the Week 3 game in Chicago

A Monday night trip to the Windy City sure looked daunting about a week ago.

The Chicago Bears opened eyes of NFL observers with a 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, with coach Ben Johnson’s desire to produce the highest-scoring team ever looking like a realistic wish. Then came Week 2, when the Bears struggled in a 9-3 loss to Carson Wentz and the Minnesota Vikings, with the indelible image of quarterback Caleb Williams being carted off with a hamstring injury changing the framing of Monday night’s Eagles/Bears matchup substantially.

This is the same Bears team that ran all over the Eagles at the Linc last Black Friday, but are they going to beat the Birds with either Tyson Bagent or Case Keenum playing QB? That’s the question The Inquirer’s Eagles writers considered for their weekly predictions:

“The guys with cannons, the way they throw ...

ABC’s got the most explosive show."

I don’t think Hank Williams Jr. was thinking about Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum when he wrote the old Monday Night Football theme song. Alas, that’s who Bears coach Ben Johnson seems likely to turn to if Caleb Williams misses Monday’s game with his hamstring injury.

Bagent, Williams’ backup, is in the concussion protocol, making Keenum the most likely starter at this point. Yes, that Keenum, the one who is 38 years old and hasn’t started a game since 2023. Yes, that Keenum who the Eagles romped in the NFC title game in January of 2018.

It’s hard to pick against the Eagles given the circumstances. Sure, the Bears have an elite ground game that bullied the Eagles for 281 yards on Black Friday last season and already leads the NFL in yards per game so far this season. The Eagles meanwhile, missed 12 tackles last week and have been a bit leaky against the run through two games.

But it’s hard to imagine Vic Fangio not breaking from his typical light box strategy by adding more bodies there to take away the run and dare whichever quarterback starts to beat the Eagles with their arm.

The Eagles do have plenty to clean up. They need to block better in order for their own running game to be more effective. They need to solve their early-down issues and stop putting themselves in unfavorable third downs. They need to tackle better. They need to get after the quarterback more often.

Saquon Barkley’s health is a factor worth monitoring, as is the game status of Jonathan Greenard. But it’s a quarterback league, and I can’t see this version of Jalen Hurts — the guy who took over when it mattered in the first two games — losing a close game to Bagent or Keenum.

Prediction: Eagles 24, Bears 11

The 2-0 Eagles are not a perfect team. That much is clear.

They squeaked by two lesser opponents in the Commanders and Titans and have posted some concerning stats thus far — chief among them their weak run game production (Eagles running backs have averaged just 3.7 yards per carry).

It hasn’t all been bad, though. Their third-down conversion rate (53%) is superb and Hurts is clearly meshing with Sean Mannion’s offense. Couple that with their rock- solid defense and you have a winning formula.

To quote The Inquirer’s David Murphy: the Birds could use an “old-fashioned blowout” to silence their doubters. That should come Monday night in Chicago.

The Bears shined in their 59-point effort in Week 1, but they’re trotting out Bagent or Keenum at quarterback with Williams injured. Chicago struggled against a tough Vikings defense even before Williams went down, with the QB going just 1-for-4 with an interception on throws of 10-plus air yards.

The Eagles defense should present similar challenges. While the Eagles don’t blitz nearly as much as the Vikings, their stout defensive front — which also needs a breakout game — will come to life to force Bagent/Keenum into making bad decisions. Chicago’s O-line is tough, but I’m not betting against a motivated Jalyx Hunt, Jalen Carter or Greenard (if he plays).

Even if their line does protect Bagent/Keenum, they’ll have to worry about a secondary that has allowed the fifth- fewest passing yards so far this season (347). I’m taking Quinyon Mitchell and Co. over a Bagent- or Keenum-led offense every time.

Prediction: Eagles 28, Bears 3

When the schedule first came out, I circled this game as a loss.

Less than a year ago, the Bears handed the Eagles arguably their worst loss of the 2025 season. This season, the Bears were poised to return to NFC North contention with Williams entering his third year as the starter, his second under Johnson.

And perhaps they still are. But with Williams’ status uncertain for Monday night, their outlook against the Eagles worsens. Johnson has never started a backup quarterback in his NFL career, either as head coach or offensive coordinator, according to Next Gen Stats, making this a unique challenge for the 40-year-old play-caller.

» READ MORE: What we know (and don’t) about the Eagles entering Week 3 vs. the Bears

Still, the Bears have a lot going for them offensively, especially in the run game. The Bears have a talented offensive line, which could include left tackle Ozzy Trapilo in his first game back from a patellar tendon injury he sustained in the playoffs. D’Andre Swift gashed the Eagles on the ground last season. But his running mate, Kyle Monangai, is dealing with a knee injury, putting his status in question for Monday night.

The Eagles defense hasn’t been dominant against the run this season, as they rank in the bottom-third of the league in expected points added per rush attempt. Were their first two performances of the season against the run anomalies, or are they signs of a budding long-term concern?

Even if Keenum starts, the Bears might be able to move the ball against the Eagles, especially if they can get going on the ground. But Hurts is off to a strong start under Mannion, and so long as he can continue to build in the right direction, the Eagles should have a shot at going 3-0.

Prediction: Eagles 24, Bears 17

Listen to the latest episode

The Eagles survived -- again. This time, instead of holding on for dear life as they did in their opener against Washington, the Eagles came from behind in the final minutes to pull out a gutsy win at Tennessee, with their quarterback leading the way. With the Eagles 2-0, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Mike Sielski examine Jalen Hurts’ promising performance through two games, and dig into the uneven play of the defense. Listen here.

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