Philadelphia Eagles offence takes on Chicago Bears defence
When the Philadelphia Eagles square off against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday 28 November, it will be a meeting between two teams who are 7-3 and looking to stay top in their division.
Previous meetings and recent games
The Eagles and Bears have met once in each of the last three seasons with the Bears winning two out of three, although it was the Eagles who won the most recent meeting by a score of 24-20.
Both teams are currently riding three-game winning streaks but the Eagles have been far more impressive in doing so as Michael Vick has been a revelation for the Eagles since returning from a rib injury in week 4 against the Washington Redskins.
The Bears may have won three in a row, but those wins came against lesser opponents in the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings. Although they managed a 16-0 shutout of the Miami Dolphins – who have been a decent team this season – in their last game, the
Dolphins were forced to play their third string quarterback after their top two had been injured the week before.
How they match up
Michael Vick's story has been a compelling one since he returned from serving a prison sentence for his involvement in illegal dog fighting, and at the moment he is still the top rated passer in the NFL. What makes his passing numbers so amazing is the fact
that his biggest threat is not in his arm, but in his legs. Vick has run for 375 yards including five touchdowns, but he's also been effective throwing the ball, completing over 60 percent of his passes, and has yet to throw an interception this season.
For the Bears, Jay Cutler is rated out of the top 20 in passing in the league and has been sacked more times than any other quarterback in the NFL this season.
On the offensive side of the ball the Eagles have by far the better team and are averaging more than a hundred yards of offence per game more than the Bears. But, as the Bears proved against the Dolphins, they have a formidable defence which, along with
the Green Bay Packers, has given up less points than any other team in the NFL. The Bears' defence is also currently ranked third overall in terms of yards conceded. They are led by veteran players such as Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers, Lance Briggs, and
Charles Tillman. The Bears have also forced 15 interceptions this year, which is tied for second in the league.
What to expect
The Bears have the second best overall run defence and if they can keep Vick and LeSean McCoy in check, then they might have a chance to win.
Although their defence is fantastic, the Bears' offence is sporadic and prone to mistakes. One also can't ignore the fact that the Eagles' may be ranked number two in the NFL in offence, but they're also in the top ten in the league on defence.
The Eagles are poised to make the play-offs for the third year in a row and should move one step closer to making it happen with a 23-16 win over the Bears.
Tags: