When the NFL scheduled a Week 3 showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears, it looked like appointment viewing on Monday Night Football.
Jalen Hurts versus Caleb Williams. Ben Johnson versus Nick Sirianni. One of the NFL's best defenses against its premier rushing game and enough intrigue about the teams' respective offseason changes to draw in fans looking for an early preview of a future playoff clash.
… and then Week 2 happened, and suddenly, that drama dissipated in a major way.
After watching Williams get to the locker room in a video that generated a million memes, Adam Schefter reported that the Bears franchise quarterback will likely miss “some time,” which, when coupled with his backup, Tyson Bagent, in concussion protocol, could result in the Eagles facing Case Keenum in primetime with their undefeated record on the line.
Is Johnson an offensive genius? Yes, and if anyone could secure the win in what otherwise looks like a certified trap game, it would be him, but it's far more likely the Eagles have themselves a game and get a little revenge in the process.
Case Keenum gives Vic Fangio his first takeaway of the season
Though the 2026 NFL season is still young, with just 32 games in the books at time of publication, there are only three teams that haven't recorded a takeaway: the Washington Commanders, the Houston Texans, and your friendly neighborhood Philadelphia Eagles.
Discussing his team's lack of ballhawking with reporters on Wednesday, Fangio noted he isn't too concerned with his team's lack of ball production, as they are “due” for a turnover at some point soon.
The Eagles are one of just three NFL teams (Commanders and Texans) without a takeaway yet.
DC Vic Fangio: "We're due." pic.twitter.com/Y6oqv5Gmj6
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) September 23, 2026
Now, granted, to say the Eagles have been a generational turnover machine since Vic Fangio came to town would be woefully misguided, as they ranked 29th in turnover percentage in 2024 and 30th in turnovers in 2025, but recording 123 straight defensive snaps without sniffing a fumble or interception, especially when they've only amassed three total sacks, is concerning.
Fortunately, if there was ever a golden opportunity for the Eagles to record a turnover and secure some sacks for good measure, it would be Week 3, as the Eagles will most likely be going head-to-head with a third-string quarterback who hasn't thrown for over 1,000 yards in a season since 2019.
Through the first two weeks of the regular season, the Bears haven't been particularly careful with the ball, fumbling the ball three times in addition to an interception by Williams. The Bears' offensive line, though strong on the right side, has also struggled to keep their quarterbacks upright, allowing six sacks through two games, five to Williams and a sixth to Bagent in Week 2.
Throw that all together with a 38-year-old quarterback starting his first game in two years, and the Eagles may be in line for a sack party the likes of which fans haven't seen since they put up 10 against the New York Jets back in October of 2019, especially if Andrew Mukuba is cleared to play and Cooper DeJean can continue to man the interior from his preferred slot position.
Zach Ertz makes steps towards Harold Carmichael's receptions record
After joining the Eagles practice squad on Monday, there's a chance Zach Ertz may not even play for the Eagles against the Bears in Week 3.
Sure, he's noted that the process of learning a new playbook comes more down to terminology than brand new concepts, as there are only so many routes a tight end will run at the NFL level. But being able to quickly translate those calls into action, especially after spending the offseason away from the sport, is easier said than done for even the best tight end, let alone one who spent the last nine months rehabbing from an ACL injury.
And yet, if Ertz doesn't play in Week 3, who will eat up the lion's share of the Eagles' tight end snaps? Johnny Mundt, the blocking expert Philly signed this offseason to help with the run game? EJ Jenkins, who has one career catch over the last three seasons? It won't be Eli Stowers or Grant Calcaterra, as they are both on IR, and the only other option on the roster is Josiah Deguara from the practice squad.
For better or worse, the Eagles might need to see how well Ertz and Hurts can jumpstart their connection against a Bears defense that has allowed the ninth-most passing yards in the NFL. Fortunately, if it proves as effortless as riding a bike, the Eagles may be able to ride it to a new record on Monday Night Football.
Through the first two games of the 2026 NFL season, the Bears have allowed nine receptions to tight ends for 106 yards. They don't have a single lineback with a defensive grade of even 60 according to Pro Football Focus, and while their safeties are better, the Eagles' run game and elite outside receiving pairing of DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks will certainly draw more eyes than a 35-year-old practice squad tight end 14 years into his NFL career.
Considering Hurts' increasing comfort with throwing to the middle of the field, Ertz might just continue the trend of tight ends catching four or five balls for over 50 yards per game against the Bears, which won't win the game on its own, but could be a key cog in an otherwise effective offensive attack and get him closer to Harold Carmichael's all-time franchise reception record.
The Eagles get Black Friday revenge to close out September
If the two sides of this contest were both at full strength, the Bears would almost certainly have the edge on Monday Night Football.
The Bears put up 59 points in Week 1 thanks in large part to their elite run game, which looks a lot like the Eagles' own from their Super Bowl run, have a crafty head coach who can draw up creative calls like few others, and a Madden cover-caliber quarterback with an ability to make plays with his arms and legs from anywhere on the field.
Fortunately for the Eagles, the Bears are not at full strength, and in the end, that should be enough to remain undefeated, not to mention get some sweet, sweet revenge for an ugly loss on Black Friday last year.
Will the Bears keep things close? Sure, they're averaging 212.5 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns per game, an element Johnson will surely rely on if Keenum gets the start, and because Philadelphia will be keyed in on the ground game, Chicago could parlay some trickery into a few big gains through the air.
But in the end, after scoring just three points against Carson Wentz and the Vikings in Week 2, it's hard to imagine Philadelphia dipping too much below their season average of 24 points per game against a middling Bears defense, which may be too big of a deficit for Johnson to overcome with QB3 play under center.