Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears: Wild card game prediction

The Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears matchup might be the most intriguing of wild card weekend, which is unusual to say.

There are the defending Super Bowl champions who barely made it into the playoffs at all at 9-7 against a team that is reaching the postseason for the first time in eight years. The two head coaches worked as offensive coordinators for the same team (Kansas City) before taking their respective jobs and actually worked together for a number of years.

Even players on both sides are actual brothers (Kyle Long and Chris Long). It’s a game that almost feels like a civil war of sorts because the two sides are so remarkably interwoven in various ways. Yet only one of them can emerge victorious. So who will it be? Each has a strong case in their favor. Let’s break down the matchups and the backdrop to find out who.

Storylines:

Big game Nick – The Eagles seem to have total confidence that they’ll win the game Sunday. A big part of why is how quarterback Nick Foles has played since taking over the starting job again for an injured Carson Wentz. It’s giving them belief that this is a repeat of 2017 and that he’ll lead them back to the promised land. However, this will be the first playoff game he’s ever played on the road. It will be interesting to see how much that matters.

How Monstrous are they? – The 2018 Bears defense has taken their place among the best in franchise history, becoming the sixth to finish #1 in points allowed of the Super Bowl era. They believe they can climb even higher. The playoffs tend to be that proving ground. Are they a truly dominant defense in the model of the fabled ’85 team or are they simply another really good defense that had a great year? Sunday will offer an answer.

Injuries:

Eddie Jackson – The star Bears safety has missed the past two games with an ankle injury he suffered after intercepting Aaron Rodgers in the win over Green Bay. He has since returned to practice the past two days and head coach Matt Nagy is optimistic he can play. Still, the team has made it clear he’ll be a game-time decision and everything will depend on how he feels running on it. If there are issues, they have no qualms sitting their young All-Pro.

Jason Peters – The Eagles left tackle has been through a lot in 2018. At 36-years old, his body isn’t what it used to be and it’s suffered through a myriad of different injuries from bicep to quad and ankle problems. He’s expected to play in the game but there’s just no telling whether he’ll be able to make it through without an ailment popping up. It’s been that way all year. Philadelphia must be prepared for it.

Key matchups:

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Brandon Brooks vs. Akiem Hicks – Two of the best and most underrated players at their respective positions. Eagles right guard Brandon Brooks allowed just one sack in 2018 and 13 pressures overall. He’s been one of their best free agent signings in years. Akiem Hicks went to his first Pro Bowl this season and has been dominant with 7.5 sacks. Last year when they clashed, Brook gave up two pressures but no sacks. Hicks must change that in their rematch.

Rasul Douglas vs. Taylor Gabriel – Douglas has done a fine job under difficult circumstances at cornerback for the Eagles but people live in fear of him every Sunday. Why? His lack of speed is evident every week. He’s been vulnerable against fast receivers all year, allowing a pass play of at least 20 yards or more in seven games this season. One can bet the Bears will try to get their speedster Gabriel matched up on him more than once.

X-factors:

Josh Adams – One of the keys to making Foles a success in the past for Philadelphia has been their ability to keep the offense balanced by running the ball. His lone defeats since late last year were games the team failed to top 100 yards on the ground. That’s why they absolutely need a decent game from Josh Adams and his backfield mates. They have to find some traction against that #1 Bears run defense or they risk opening up Foles to Khalil Mack and that pass rush.

Mitch Trubisky – Everybody doubts the young Bears quarterback is capable of elevating his play in this game. They all think he’ll be exposed and picked apart by a more experienced defense. The thing is though he’s quietly been playing much better and more efficient in some tough atmospheres leading up to this game. He played flawlessly against the Packers to win the division, managed the game well in San Francisco, and delivered three decisive scoring drives on the road in Minnesota. That plus his mobility could give the Eagles problems if he can stay under control.

Prediction: Bears win 24-20

Both teams come into the game hot and with a ton of confidence. The Eagles have the better quarterback and better offensive line. The Bears have the better defense and homefield advantage. It feels like one of those contests that will be close to the vest thanks in large part to the two head coaches, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy, being so familiar with each other. In the end, the Bears defense combined with a couple of late drives orchestrated by Nagy will be enough to hold off Philadelphia for the win.

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