The Philadelphia Eagles lost their second consecutive game on Black Friday, falling to the Chicago Bears 24-15. The defeat drops the Eagles’ record to 8-4 for the season and prevents them from extending their lead in the NFC East.
Chicago’s running game was a key factor in the outcome. The Bears entered the matchup averaging 142 rushing yards per game, ranking first in the NFC and second in the NFL. Running backs D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai each surpassed 100 yards, with Swift gaining 125 yards and Monangai adding 130. In total, Chicago amassed 281 rushing yards.
“Great scheme and they executed,” said Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis. “We need to have better fits on defense, everyone playing together. That is what it is about. We aren’t playing the kind of defense you need to play to win in this league. We’re going to come back from this, but it’s going to take all of us.”
The Bears also controlled both lines of scrimmage throughout the game. Their veteran presence helped them disrupt Philadelphia’s offense, which managed only 87 rushing yards on 17 attempts. A pivotal moment occurred when Chicago forced a fumble during an Eagles Tush Push attempt.
Penalties continued to be an issue for Philadelphia, with seven infractions resulting in a loss of 44 yards. Two false starts occurred on early possessions, while an offensive pass interference penalty against A.J. Brown negated a potential big gain late in the first half.
Missed opportunities proved costly for the Eagles as well. Quarterback Jalen Hurts failed to connect with wide receiver DeVonta Smith on a third-down crossing route that could have resulted in a touchdown; instead, Philadelphia settled for a field goal. Later, after narrowing Chicago’s lead with a touchdown pass from Hurts to Brown—followed by a missed extra point—the Eagles had another chance following an interception by Jalyx Hunt but turned over possession after Hurts lost a fumble on another Tush Push attempt.
“We’ve been able to hang our hats on winning the turnover battle and that didn’t happen today,” said center Cam Jurgens. “That’s something we can’t do. We have been really good with our ball security and today it hurt us.”
Philadelphia struggled offensively throughout much of the contest, producing just two first downs and 83 net yards across four first-half possessions while converting only one out of five third downs before halftime. The team finished with 14 first downs and 317 total offensive yards but was unable to capitalize consistently or maintain drives.
With this loss behind them, the Eagles will use their upcoming mini-bye weekend to regroup before facing the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night next week as they look for ways to regain momentum heading into the final stretch of their season.
