Chicago Bears vs. Philadelphia Eagles
This was exactly the kind of game the Chicago Bears hope to avoid, and it was a beautifully executed plan by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles controlled the ball and the clock early, pushed the lead to 12-0, and looked like they wouldn’t allow a Bears score–let alone a 20+ yard play–for the whole game. They followed this up with a score to start the second half, and the Bears were left chasing. It ended up close thanks to a pair of late Chicago touchdowns, but Philly held on for the win.
Chicago Bears
Quarterback
- Mitch Trubisky: 10/21, 125 yards, 3 sacks | 2 carries, 15 yards
This game started ugly for Mitch Trubisky as he took three first-half sacks and the offense managed only 12 first-half yards. He overthrew a couple of passes and he generally didn’t look for anything deep. I’ve said it before, but this offense can’t function if every play is a run or a short pass. Things improved in the second half, but more thanks to defensive breakdowns by the Philly secondary. Trubisky hit Taylor Gabriel for a 53-yard gain after the whole secondary lost track of him. He also hit David Montgomery on a wide-open catch for another 30 yards. Sure, Tarik Cohen dropped a pair of easy catches. The problem here, though, continues to be the quarterback. Trubisky will keep starting, but I won’t use him.
Running Backs
- David Montgomery: 14 carries, 40 yards, 2 TD | 4 targets, 3 receptions, 36 yards
- Tarik Cohen: 2 carries, 7 yards | 5 targets, 2 receptions, 9 yards
David Montgomery was finally let loose last week, and the result was close to 150 all-purpose yards. This week, the Bears couldn’t stay on the field until late in the game. They held the ball for about 10 minutes of the first 30. This resulted in only a few touches in the first half and little to show for it. The second half was better with Montgomery regularly being targeted. He ran hard and was tough to bring down on first contact. He saw two goal-line opportunities and both turned into touchdowns. Montgomery also had a nice catch out of the backfield: he ran a wheel route and was wide open for a 30-yard gain. Montgomery’s one dark spot was his drop: it came in the second half and he looked like he would have had lots of room to run if he hauled it in. Montgomery would be a must-play on a great offense, but he ends up touchdown-dependent on a spotty Bears offense.
Wide Receivers
- Taylor Gabriel: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 69 yards
- Allen Robinson II: 5 targets, 1 reception, 6 yards
- Anthony Miller: 1 target, 0 receptions
There isn’t much to say when your quarterback only has 125 yards, but here’s what you might not have seen:
Allen Robinson made a great sideline catch but was called out of bounds. He also had a chance on a deep ball that was underthrown. If he had been hit in stride, it would have been an easy touchdown. With those two plays, we would have been looking at three receptions, 90 yards, and a touchdown. Instead, we get one catch for six yards. Keep starting him and hope for better days
Anthony Miller was completely invisible today. He saw one target (a deep shot he was overthrown on) and I’m not surprised given how the offense performed. Days like this will completely destroy ancillary Bears weapons. Keep watching Miller and hope Chicago figures things out on offense.
Taylor Gabriel had the biggest day thanks to one huge play. Gabriel faked a cut towards the sideline, broke back in, and found tons of space. His 53-yard catch on the play set up the Bears’ first score and looked like it might have been the start of a come-from-behind win.
Philadelphia Eagles
Quarterback
- Carson Wentz: 26/39, 239 yards, 1 TD, 4 sacks | 4 carries, 15 yards
Carson Wentz seemed to fade into the background today as I watched, and this is a good thing. He managed the game, hit the throws he was given, and kept the offense on the field for sustained drives against a tough defense. His favorite target was Zach Ertz, and Ertz made life easy for him. Wentz seemed to always have an open man, and his play was a stark contrast to the aforementioned Trubisky. His best throw was the touchdown to Ertz. He made a great pass that allowed Ertz to run free after the catch. Sure, I don’t recall any huge throws Wentz made. I also don’t recall any really bad mistakes either. Did I mention that he drew the Bears’ defense offsides four times in the first half? DeSean Jackson’s full health would be a definite bonus to Wentz.
Running Backs
- Jordan Howard: 19 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD | 1 target, 1 reception, 1 yard
- Miles Sanders: 10 carries, 42 yards | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 31 yards
Jordan Howard ran well today in a revenge game against his former team, regularly thrashing them on the ground for nice gains. Howard had plenty of room to run, and he even saw a couple of big runs called back due to holding that would have pushed him over 100 on the day. His touchdown run up the middle was basically untouched. He ran hard, often plowing into contact and keeping his feet moving. Howard has averaged 20+ carries over his last two games, and he looks like a great option moving forward. Consider Howard an RB2, though he may be touchdown dependent at times.
Miles Sanders saw his heaviest level of involvement in a month, even if he wasn’t able to break a huge gain (like last week against Buffalo). His best asset for fantasy this year is his pass-catching thanks to the advantage it gives him over backfield mate Jordan Howard. Sanders’ best plays were a pair of screen passes. The first came in the first half and was an excellent play call that gave him tons of room. The second was a nice catch-and-run late in the game…helping to ice the game away on a third and long. I like Sanders’ talent, but I want to see more regular volume: This was the most touches he’s had since week 5. He remains a boom-bust flex until his volume increases, but he is capable of making his day on a single play. If he manages to take over the backfield, he could be a monster. I don’t see it happening any time soon though.
Wide Receivers
- Alshon Jeffrey: 8 targets, 4 receptions, 36 yards
- Zach Ertz: 11 targets, 9 receptions, 103 yards, 1 TD
- Dallas Goedert: 5 targets, 4 receptions, 39 yards
- Nelson Agholor: 8 targets, 3 receptions, 21 yards
The Eagles clearly saw something they liked in the defense, and they exploited it all game long. Zach Ertz was targeted eleven times, pulling in nine of them for 103 yards and a touchdown. He did a great job at running routes just far enough to pick up first downs. He worked hard for his yards, and it was an impressive display. Ertz’s biggest play was his touchdown catch. He ran a deep route, made contact with his defender, caught the ball, and ran into the endzone for the score. Let’s hope Ertz stays this involved, though recent history may point to this being more of a blip.
Alshon Jeffery had a relatively quiet day, though the volume was there. Jeffery made all four of his catches for first downs, and the best was his last. He used his body to box out a defender and elevated to make a great catch. Jeffery could be a good trade target as he’s averaging close to eight targets a game on the season, but he simply hasn’t found the endzone much.
DeSean Jackson returned today but didn’t last long. He was pulled after the first series, though his coaches insisted it was only a precautionary move. Jackson’s health is important to all Eagles weapons as he can stretch the defense and pull a safety his way. Keep an eye on Jackson and hope for his health if you have shares in Wentz, Ertz, or Jeffery. He himself is not on my radar though.
— Mike Miklius