PHILADELPHIA — The Bears bullied the defending Super Bowl champion into submission, adding their shade of blue to Black Friday, in a 24-15 win that stands as the most profound statement by the franchise this decade.
Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai became the first pair of Bears teammates to both run for 100 yards since 1985 and tight end Cole Kmet caught a 28-yard touchdown halfway through the fourth quarter to send disgusted locals spilling out of Lincoln Financial Field into the South Philadelphia night.
After a season spent eking out wins against losing teams and bottom-tier quarterbacks, the Bears made a statement. At 9-3, they’d be the second seed in the NFC were the playoffs to start today.
On a day where quarterback Caleb Williams struggled with his accuracy amid blustery conditions — he went 17-for-36 for 154 yards and a 56.9 passer rating — the Bears leaned on their run game and their defense.
Leading 10-3 about three minutes into the second half, safety Kevin Byard, a Philadelphia native, intercepted Jalen Hurts to claim sole possession of the NFL lead with six. The Bears went three-and-out. The Eagles offense got the game’s only surge of momentum on the next drive, helped by Gervon Dexter’s roughing the passer penalty. Five plays in to the drive, Hurts lofted a pass down the left sideline to A.J. Brown, who plucked it out of the air in front of cornerback Nahshon Wright for a 33-yard touchdown. Jake Elliott missed the extra point, though, keeping the Bears ahead by one.
The Eagles seemed destined to claim the lead four plays later when edge rusher Jalyx Hunt leapt at the line of scrimmage to try to knock down Williams’ screen pass and caught the ball. His 11-yard return gave the Eagles the ball at the Bears’ 36, and Saquon Barkley’s 15-yard run put them on the edge of the red zone.
The Eagles drove to the 12 and, on third-and-one, lined up in their patented “Tush Push” formation. Hurts plunged forward toward a first down, only for Wright to reach into the pile and yank the ball out of his arms. Wright emerged from the pile with the ball in his hands.
The Bears, who had managed only five first downs on their previous five drives, promptly marched 87 yards down the field, leaning on Monangai, who ran eight times for 73 yards. and scored on a four-yard plunge to put the Bears ahead 17-9. Williams kept the drive alive when, just before the end of the third quarter, he threw a seven-yard pass to rookie tight end Colston Loveland on fourth-and-five from the Eagles’ 37.
Swift, also a Philadelphia native, ran for a three-yard touchdown in the first quarter and kickers Cairo Santos and Elliott traded second quarter field goals.
Playing without their three starting linebackers, the Bears welcomed back cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Johnson started. Gordon played in dime coverage alongside fellow slot cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson and took Johnson’s place at different times.
One week after the Eagles blew a 21-0 lead against the rival Cowboys, the faithful at Lincoln Financial Field were frustrated throughout the game. Brown caught his second touchdown pass of the game with 3:10 to play to pull the Eagles within nine, but they decided to go for two points to cut the lead to seven. Hurts threw incomplete and the impending onside kick bounced into the arms of receiver Rome Odunze.
The Eagles reclaimed possession with 1:12 to play, down nine with no timeouts remaining. Elliott tried a 52-yard field goal in the game’s final seconds but missed it.
