Eagles vs. Bears: The pick

Things I don't like about this game, from an Eagles perspective: 1. Good chance the Eagles won't have Asante Samuel. 2. Bears have had 10 days to prepare, half a bye week. 3. Chicago has a seriously solid defense.

Things I do like about this game: 1. Michael Vick. 2. Bears don't score a lot of points, and Jay Cutler can turn the ball over. 3. Bears have one really impressive win, over Green Bay. Other than that, they've been beating up on lower-echelon teams. Giants and Redskins have beaten them.

Expecting a low-scoring game where mistakes will be even more pivotal than usual, in what has become the Birds' annual visit to Chicago. (When did the Bears join the NFC East?) Something like a long Devin Hester punt return could be the difference between winning and losing.

Prediction:

Eagles 17, Bears 13.

I was tempted to pick the Bears in this game, not because I think they're a better team than the Eagles, but because it's unrealistic to think the Eagles will go unscathed through this difficult four-games-in-18-days portion of their schedule.

The Bears are 7-3 and they are playing at home and they have a defense that has given up the fewest points in the league. But they've played a Mr. Softee schedule.

Just one of the seven teams they've beaten (Green Bay) is ranked higher than 15th in the league in scoring. Just one of the seven teams they've beaten (Green Bay) has won more than five games. The combined record heading into this week of the seven teams they have beaten is 23-47.

The Eagles, meanwhile, who historically have been accused of never beating anybody that's any good, have four wins over teams with six or more wins.

Prediction:

Eagles 17, Bears 13.