A final rundown as kickoff approaches. My Things to Look For post is here, and it includes the report that Lance Briggs is going to be active tonight.
Who: Bears (8-6) at Eagles (8-6)
When: Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 P.M. ET, on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call. Your over/under for “Alshon Jeffries” mentions: 12.
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA. The weather is unseasonably warm, but rain could be a factor. (Including a potential for thunderstorms.)
Notes:
The Bears last played the Eagles in 2011, a 30-24 Bears win at Soldier Field. The last time the Bears traveled to Philadelphia was in 2010, when the Bears won 31-26 behind 4 Jay Cutler touchdown passes.
These two teams have played fairly often, for not being in the same division; this is their sixth meeting since 2007, and the Bears have won four of the previous five contests.
As a Bear, this will be Jay Cutler’s fourth game against the Eagles; he’s thrown seven touchdowns and one interception in the previous three games.
The Cowboys won earlier today, meaning this game won’t have any bearing on the Eagles playoff chances. (They’re still playing for seeding, though.) It remains to be seen whether that will affect Chip Kelly’s handling of the game. (Of course, if things break a certain way in the Detroit and Green Bay games, the Bears might end up in the same boat.)
Tonight is at the very least a great road test for the Bears against a playoff-caliber opponent.
Time to Bear Down.