5 Things To Know Ahead Of Eagles Vs. Bears Playoff Game Sunday

A year after the first Super Bowl victory in franchise history, the Eagles are back in the playoffs and looking to defend their championship.

They'll battle the Chicago Bears this Sunday, Jan. 6, at 4:40 p.m. at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Here's what you need to know ahead of the big game.

1. How they got here

After a crushing loss to the powerhouse Saints, 48-7, the Eagles fell to 4-6. The date was Nov. 18. They no longer looked like playoff contenders, nevermind like a team out to defend its Super Bowl championship of a season ago.

Over the final six weeks of the season, despite continuing to suffer from numerous injuries, including to starting quarterback Carson Wentz, the Eagles went 5-1. Those victories included season-altering victories over the the playoff-bound Rams and Texans as well as a season sweep of a decent team in the division rival Redskins.

They needed some luck, but they ultimately earned the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC, entering the 2019 playoffs as a true underdog. When the Birds proudly wore that mantle a year ago, they were a 13-3 squad that entered the postseason as the first overall seed. Experts made arguments that they should not be considered the favorites. This year, there is no argument to be made. When the Eagles head to Soldier Field this weekend, they are undoubtedly the dark horse.

2. The Bears are a formidable opponent

The Bears are this season's NFC North champions and the third seed in the playoffs, as they finished the season with a 12-4 record. They closed the season on a four game winning streak, including a win in Week 17 which they didn't really need against a Vikings team which desperately needed it. In fact, it's because of the Bears victory last Sunday over the Vikings that the Eagles are here in the first place. Had the Vikings beaten the Bears, the two NFC North rivals would've faced off in this Wild Card game, instead.

The Bears are where they are thanks in large part to what is arguably the best defense in all of football. Throughout the course of the regular season, they gave up a total of only 283 points. That's the lowest mark in the entire NFL, and only the AFC North champion Ravens (287 points) are even close. The Eagles, by contrast, surrendered 347 points.

Postseason hero Nick Foles will have his hands full with the Bears defense, and he knows it, as he told PhiladelphiaEagles.com Wednesday:

"They do a great job with vision. The reason they have a lot of turnovers, obviously, is the pressure they can cause up front, which causes a little havoc, quarterbacks holding onto the ball. And then their secondary understands concepts. They can tell when receivers are running different routes, what else is coming behind it so they’re able to have vision on it and cut it. They have really good ball skills. That’s something that you don’t always see."

The Eagles were able to score on other teams with solid defenses, including the Cowboys (23 points and 20 points) and the Rams (30 points), although it should be noted that neither of them are quite in the same defensive league as Chicago.

3. The Bears hold the edge in the historical rivalry

The Bears lead the all time series over the Eagles 29-14-1, according to The Football Database, but the Eagles have won the last three matchups in decisive fashion.

The two teams have met each other in the postseason on just three occasions: 2002 (Eagles victory, 33-19), 1988 (Bears victory, 20-12), and 1979 (Eagles victory, 27-17).

4. The latest odds and predictions

As of Thursday, the Bears are six point favorites over the Eagles, according to a consensus from OddsShark.com. The predicted final score there is Bears 26, Eagles 15.

Over at SBNation, five analysts picked the Bears to win, while three picked the Eagles.

Sports Illustrated, meanwhile, has the Eagles, while CBS predicts a narrow victory for the Bears.

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5. Nick Foles is the key

A year ago during their Super Bowl run, questions swirled around Nick Foles. He'd seen some success in the concluding weeks of the season following Carson Wentz's last season-ending injury, but some believed that the Eagles were only an elite team with Wentz and his superstar performance in the first half of the year.

Foles, of course, proved that theory wrong, over and over, from the 2018 NFC Championship blowout to the Philly Special to his late season heroics over the past few weeks. In fact, in the game against the Redskins Sunday, Foles tied an NFL record for consecutive completions in a game and breaking Donovan McNabb's Eagles franchise record along the way. This comes a week after he threw for a franchise record 471 yards in the victory over the Texans.

However, he also suffered some bruised ribs towards the end of the Redskins game, and although the Eagles have since announced that he's fine, questions will surely persist leading up to kickoff.

The truth is the strongest part of the Bears defense is their ability to stop rushing. Their defensive line is ruthless and puts quick pressure on quarterbacks, but that's a situation that Foles can handle.

If the Eagles are able to upset the Bears, Foles will have to be a major reason. If he's able to solve the Bears fiery defense, the Eagles could have their opening.

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images