Delaware County Daily Times: https://tinyurl.com/5cn2suhm
Originally published Sept. 28, 2026
Caleb Williams won’t be on the field tonight. The Bears’ running game will be.
That, more than the quarterback change, is what matters to the Eagles. Williams was ruled out with a hamstring injury he suffered last week against Minnesota. Backup Tyson Bagent cleared enough of the concussion protocol to practice and is questionable. If he can’t go, 38-year-old Case Keenum gets the call.
For Vic Fangio, the name behind center doesn’t change the plan.
“We’re preparing for Chicago’s offense,” the Eagles’ defensive coordinator said. “I don’t think their offense will change a whole lot schematically, so that’s what we’ll prepare for.”
Williams presents a problem neither Bagent nor Keenum can duplicate. He can escape a perfectly defended play and turn it into something else. That headache is gone. The other one isn’t.
Last Black Friday at Lincoln Financial Field, Chicago ran the Eagles out of their own building 24-15. The Bears dominated up front and piled up 281 rushing yards. Kyle Monangai had 130. Former Eagle and St. Joseph’s Prep grad D’Andre Swift had 125.
Fangio remembers. The film won’t let him forget.
“You aren’t going to be able to flush it away,” Fangio said. “It’s going to be on our cutups, so (our players) will be seeing it.”
Williams’ absence shouldn’t alter that part of the equation. Fangio noted Chicago operates extensively from under center rather than building its running game around quarterback reads.
“They’re under center, handing it off,” Fangio said. “They do a great job of blocking.”
The Birds, still thin on the O-line, would like to see some better rhythm from their own offense. Tight end Zach Ertz, signed last week, could be elevated from the practice squad for his first Eagles game since 2021.
Injury report
Eagles: Game status: OUT – WR Hollywood Brown (ankle), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), T Fred Johnson (knee). QUESTIONABLE – OLB Jonathan Greenard (pectoral).
Saturday practice report: DNP – WR Hollywood Brown (ankle), TE Dallas Goedert (knee), T Fred Johnson (knee). LIMITED – RB Will Shipley (foot). FULL – RB Saquon Barkley (stinger), RB Tank Bigsby (abdomen), DT Jalen Carter (wrist), OLB Jonathan Greenard (pectoral), S Andrew Mukuba (knee), WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), G Tyler Steen (shoulder).
Bears: Game status: OUT – QB Caleb Williams (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE – QB Tyson Bagent (concussion).
Saturday practice report: DNP – QB Caleb Williams (hamstring). FULL – QB Tyson Bagent (concussion), DL Grady Jarrett (rest), RB Kyle Monangai (knee), K Cairo Santos (right hip), DB Tyrique Stevenson (hamstring), OL Joe Thuney (rest).
Pregame position grades
Here’s how the teams match up by position group in Week 3, accounting for health. Performances will be evaluated postgame.
QB: Eagles A, Bears D+
RB: Eagles A-, Bears A-
TE: Eagles C-, Bears B+
WR: Eagles B+, Bears B+
OL: Eagles B-, Bears A
DL: Eagles A-, Bears B
LB: Eagles A, Bears B-
CB/S: Eagles A-, Bears C-
K/P: Eagles A-, Bears B+
Coaching: Eagles A, Bears B+
On the air
Eagles (2-0) at Bears (1-1), Tonight, 8:15 ET, Soldier Field, Chicago
TV: ESPN: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters, Laura Rutledge.
Radio/streaming: 94.1-FM WIP: Merrill Reese and Mike Quick (no official sideline reporter). Tico: Rickie Ricardo, Oscar Budejen and David Gerhardt. Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner.
Last week: Eagles beat the Titans 24-20. Bears lost to the Vikings 9-3.
Betting odds
Spread: Eagles -4.5
Over/under: 41.5
Money line: Eagles -238; Bears +195
Notes
● The Eagles are 2-0 for the fourth time in Nick Sirianni’s six seasons as head coach.
● The Eagles have held each of their first two opponents below 300 total yards — Washington to 295 and Tennessee to 291. It is the first time they have opened a season with consecutive sub-300-yard defensive performances since 1995.
● Chicago leads the all-time series, 30-17-1.
● Chicago opened this season by rushing for 291 yards against Carolina, then was held to 134 yards on 31 carries in the loss to Minnesota.
● DeVonta Smith is coming off a 10-catch, 117-yard performance at Tennessee. His 13 targets tied his career high.
● Bears WR Kalif Raymond leads Chicago with 13 receptions. Six have converted third downs.
● Bears TE Colston Loveland has been held to one reception for three yards through two games after catching 58 passes for 713 yards and six TDs as a rookie in 2025.
● Bears C Garrett Bradbury was penalized four times against Minnesota — twice for holding and twice for false starts — and now draws an Eagles interior featuring Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter and Moro Ojomo.
● Tonight is the first of five prime-time games for the Eagles this season. They play eight standalone games.
Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.