MONDAY NIGHT REACTION · NFL WEEK 3
We Warned About the Eagles. The Bears Just Showed Why.
Chicago won 27–7 with Case Keenum at quarterback. Philadelphia had the halftime momentum, the next possession and chances to change the game. It still never scored again.
This is what we warned about with the Eagles. The conversation kept treating Philadelphia like the beast of the NFC East, with the Giants and Cowboys fighting for second. But what had the Eagles actually shown us?
They beat Washington 24–22 and Tennessee 24–20. Those were two teams I expected them to beat, and both games were closer than they should have been. Yes, Philadelphia found a way. But winning those games did not erase the warning signs. Monday night made those concerns a lot harder to dismiss.
The Bears came in with their third-string quarterback starting in place of Caleb Williams and won 27–7. Case Keenum deserves credit. He played well. Still, you cannot spend two weeks looking unconvincing, face this situation in Week 3 and deliver that performance.
Hurts gave them the moment. They wasted it.
One of the most frustrating parts is that I thought Jalen Hurts played great in the first half. His touchdown sneak as the half expired felt like the biggest momentum-changing play of the night. Chicago had been moving the ball, but suddenly it was only 10–7. Philadelphia was getting the ball after halftime. Everything seemed to be turning its way.
And then the Eagles did not score another point. Their first three possessions after halftime ended in three-and-outs. Chicago added a field goal, a 41-yard touchdown pass to Kalif Raymond and a Keenum rushing touchdown. Philadelphia's opportunity to take control became a 20-point defeat.
That is shocking. It was not a game where the Eagles never had an opening. They had the opening that should have changed the entire night, and nothing came of it.
Chicago was not perfect. That makes it worse.
The Bears ran the ball down Philadelphia's throat early. My halftime concern was that they could move it consistently but were not finishing: three red-zone trips had produced a touchdown, a field goal and a fourth-down stop.
Ben Johnson's decision to go for fourth-and-goal stood out. I was not automatically against it. That is one of those calls that makes you look like a genius if it works and an idiot if it does not. Chicago came away empty, and Philadelphia still failed to turn that chance into a meaningful response.
Keenum also gave the Eagles chances to intercept him, in my view. They did not take them. If those opportunities go the other way, maybe we are discussing a different game. That matters, and I am not going to pretend Chicago played mistake-free football.
But that is also the point. The Bears left doors open. Philadelphia kept failing to walk through them. Even the promising first-half drive interrupted when Hurts had to leave the possession ended with an Andy Dalton interception. There were too many moments that looked like a possible turning point and never became one.
The old reasons to trust Philadelphia are not enough
The offensive line looks okay to me. It does not look exceptional in the way we have become used to. The defense is supposed to be elite, and we just watched it fail to contain a Chicago offense led by Keenum. Those have been reasons to believe in the Eagles in the past. Right now, I do not think they are carrying the same weight.
Keenum finished with 247 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown. He earned his credit. My criticism is not that a veteran backup is incapable of playing well. It is that Philadelphia did not look like the team its reputation says it should be.
The division is still very much alive
The Eagles are 2–1, not finished. But the Giants and Cowboys are absolutely still alive in this division. I am not writing off Washington either. There is too much football left to hand Philadelphia anything based on what it used to be.
For Chicago, this is a great sign. The Bears need to keep themselves afloat until Caleb returns. Winning like this with Keenum is more than simply avoiding disaster.
For the Eagles, the next test is the Rams at home on Sunday, October 4, at 1 p.m. ET. Dallas and the Giants come later. Philadelphia does not need another week of people explaining why it should be good. It needs to show it.
I cannot put this team back on a pedestal after what we just watched. The first two weeks raised the questions. The Bears made them impossible to ignore.