Monday Night Football: Eagles vs. Bears Week 3 Preview

Philadelphia Eagles @ Chicago Bears
Game Line: Eagles -3.5
Game Total: 41.5

We wrap up Week 3 with the Eagles traveling to Soldier Field to take on the Bears in a game I’m sure the NFL thought would be a much better product when the schedules were released. Philadelphia has looked just as boring as last season, while the Bears are without starting QB Caleb Williams and will turn to veteran journeyman Case Keenum, who hasn’t started a game since 2023. Kickoff is set for 8:15 PM ET, with the game broadcast on ESPN.

This is a tough game to pick, and if we were getting virtually any quarterback other than Case Keenum here, I would probably be all-in on the Bears. Keenum is certainly capable of operating as a game manager in this Ben Johnson offense, leaning on the run game and play-action passing. The problem is that we haven’t seen him play in over three years, so I’m just not sure what to expect.

Chicago beat the Eagles last season by running the football, with D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combining for over 250 rushing yards. I fully expect a similar game plan tonight, especially with the Eagles defense struggling to start the season. The concern is that it becomes much more difficult to execute if Chicago falls behind. I truly think whichever team jumps out to an early lead will have a significant advantage tonight.

If the Bears are forced to play from behind, I’ll be watching Luther Burden and Colston Loveland as potential breakout candidates. You’ve been better off attacking this Eagles defense away from the outside under Vic Fangio, which plays directly into the strengths of both players. Philadelphia deploys heavy zone coverage, and Burden absolutely cooked against zone last season, averaging nearly 3.0 YPRR in 2025. I’m still very bullish on him this season, and tonight sets up as a great opportunity for him to get going—even with Keenum at quarterback.

On the other side, I really don’t know what to expect from the Eagles offense or their running game because of their major offensive line issues. When Philadelphia was at its best and making deep playoff runs, this was a top-three offensive line in football. Now, you’d be hard-pressed to rank them above the bottom five. That has had a major impact on their efficiency and is a big reason why this offense has been so difficult to trust.

Luckily for Philadelphia, the Bears have one of the worst defenses in football, making this a soft landing spot for the Eagles to potentially get something going.

The biggest thing I’m watching tonight is a potential breakout or increased role for rookie WR Makai Lemon. He has actually run the second-most routes on the team, with the vast majority coming from the slot. Chicago has been one of the biggest slot funnels in the league, and with Dallas Goedert out, we could see Lemon inherit some of those middle-of-the-field targets.

Goedert also plays a significant role in the red zone, and I think Lemon could benefit there as well, potentially getting a few creative designed touches near the goal line.

Touchdown Prediction: Makai Lemon
Score Prediction: Eagles 24, Bears 17