Chicago Bears Host Philadelphia Eagles In Sunday NFC Wild Card Game

The last of the weekend NFL wild card playoff games will go on Sunday night as the defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles try to keep their ‘back to back’ hopes alive in a less than hospitable setting. Their hosts at Solider Field will be the resurgent Chicago Bears who have become a very competitive team in Matt Nagy’s first season as head coach. Philadelphia is hoping that Nick Foles will once again bring the postseason magic that he did last year. Since Carson Wentz is essentially out for the year with his back injuries (though he is on the active roster) they don’t have any other viable option. Foles might be less than 100% himself due to bruised ribs though he’s a tough dude and will get the start. For those of you who are wondering, the Eagles’ third string quarterback is highly regarded Indiana University product Nate Sudfeld. Sudfeld might develop into a good NFL quarterback but for now he’s got 25 career pass attempts and that’s not the resume you want to rely on in the playoffs.

With all of the hype about the NFL playoffs being a ‘new season’ it’s easy to forget that Philadelphia was life and death to even make the postseason. So tenuous was their position that even after going 5-1 down the stretch they needed the Bears to beat the Vikings on the road to secure the berth. Repeating as champion of any professional sport is a tough assignment. The Super Bowl might be the toughest of all due to the NFL’s parity and the ‘one and done’ playoff format. That’s why there hasn’t been back to back Super Bowl champs in over a decade (2004 and 2005 New England Patriots). With a banged up backup quarterback and the possibility of having an ‘empty tank’ after their furious stretch run its not likely the the Eagles will go back to back.

The biggest problem that Foles and his banged up ribs will face is a nasty Bears’ defensive front that recorded 50 sacks during the regular season tying them for second in the NFL. You can make a compelling case that this is the best Bears defense since the legendary Mike Singletary led unit under Mike Ditka in the mid 1980s. The stat line is impressive—Chicago ranks #3 in total defense (299.7 yards per game), #7 in passing defense (216.9 yards per game) and #1 in rushing defense (80 yards per game). They also led the league in points scored off of takeaways. The bottom line for a defense is points allowed and the Bears allow fewer than any team in the NFL at 17.7 PPG.

The Chicago defense is excellent but the real improvement this season has been on the other side of the ball and credit for that to the superior play calling skills of head coach Nagy. He transformed a plodding, power rushing team featuring Jordan Howard into one capable of a versatile and multifaceted attack. More significantly, his playcalling has been just what the doctor ordered for Mitch Trubisky. His understanding of the quarterback’s skillset allows Trubisky to ‘play within his abilities’. Chicago dramatically upgraded at the wide receiver position from last season and with Allen Robinson expected to play the Bears have no shortage of weapons. In Nagy’s system, all Trubisky has to do is take care of the football and make good decisions. This is what he’s best at and a significant reason why the Bears have won 9 of their last 10 games.

It’s difficult to see how this matchup works for Philadelphia. They don’t run the ball well as it is (#28 in the NFL at 98.1 yards per game) and they’ll struggle even more on the ground against the best rushing defense in the league. That means that they’re essentially a one-dimensional team and forces Foles to win the game with his arm. He’s always been a streaky quarterback and playing with bruised ribs against one of the best pass rushes in the NFL isn’t a formula for success.

The weather at Soldier Field for Sunday’s game won’t be that bad with temps in the mid to high 30s, overcast skies and 10 to 20 MPH winds. Even with downright balmy weather for Chicago in January, Solider Field is once again one of the toughest home venues in the NFL. The Bears have been a veritable ATM machine at home over the past three seasons going 17-6 against the pro football pointspread including 7-1 this year. The Eagles made a nice late season run but it ends here as the Chicago Bears win by 10+.

BET CHICAGO BEARS -6.5 OVER PHILADELPHIA EAGLES