Chicago Bears are preparing for their biggest game of the year, which could determine what the rest of the season entails. Caleb Williams stepped up to the plate last week vs. Steelers; he will have to do it again and again, and not Eagles. I think Caleb can do it, but he won't do it alone. He'll ask his best playmakers to play big roles for him and the Bears.
Here are my five expectations for the Bears against the Eagles on Friday:
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Caleb Williams will be the best defender in this game
Jalen Hurts and his passing offense have had a tough time this season, and much of the blame falls on Jalen Hurts' play. Jalen Hurts faces a tough matchup as he's missing his best receiver this season, Devonta Smith, and the most important parts of his dominant offensive line. I think Jalen Hurts will struggle in this game and the Bears defense will get two costly turnovers from him. Caleb Williams, on the other hand, will continue his great performance from last week. The Bears offense is getting better; this device is just waiting for a game that will put it all together. The Bears' game against the Eagles' dominant front won't be easy. Just like last week, there was a lot of pressure on Caleb to step up and lead the Bears offense to success. This week will be no exception and I think Caleb is up to the challenge. I see Caleb throwing for three passing touchdowns and about the same amount of passing yards. This game will be the “I've Arrived” game for Caleb Williams.
Colston Loveland will lead the Bears in receiving yards.
Colston Loveland is a solid cover for any defender who can face him. He has the speed to get past linebackers and is too physical for smaller defenders. He would be the perfect weapon for the Bears in this game. Over the past few games he has gained more and more confidence and connection. His connection with Caleb also gets better and better after each game. The Eagles' defense is stifling, but when Caleb gets in trouble, I think he'll turn to Love to save him. I expect the game to be similar to Loveland's game against the Bengals. He might not necessarily have the long winning touchdown, but I think he'll have 100 yards receiving and a touchdown for the second time this season against Philadelphia.
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Reem Odunze will throw for over 80 yards and a touchdown.
Reem Odunze started the season leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns, but after that strong stretch of games he became frustratingly inconsistent. Against the Eagles defense, the Bears will need multiple playmakers to step up. While I think Loveland will lead the Bears in receptions, I think Caleb's number one target will be a big one for him. Rome needs to constantly work on becoming more reliable, but in difficult moments, he filled in for Caleb. Rome will demonstrate this against the Eagles. I think Rome will be able to at least touch 80 receiving yards and he and Caleb Williams will connect for the winning touchdown.
Montez Sweet will dominate Fred Johnson
The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson again, and Fred Johnson has done a great job as a backup. Montez Sweat is turning back into Ryan Poels' pass rusher, which is exactly what the team was hoping for. Sweet has 6.5 sacks over his last 6 games. The match against Fred Johnson should be one where Sweet can continue his dominance. Sweat finished with two sacks against the Steelers, and I think Sweat could have a similar performance on Friday. The Eagles are known to dominate in the trenches; they just moved on from it. The Eagles also have three of their five starting offensive linemen with injuries, two of whom will miss Friday's game. Sweat is the heartbeat of the Bears defensive line, and he will light up this passing game to put on a strong performance against Philadelphia.
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Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon will be strong in their returns.
The Bears will get some reinforcements this week, with their star corners returning against the Eagles. The Eagles' passing attack has been just as challenging as the Bears', if not more so, this season. With the Bears' ability to produce results at a high level even before the return of their star corners. If the Eagles are missing Devonta Smith for this game, it will be an elite secondary that will simply have to prioritize containing a disgruntled AJ Brown. AJ Brown has had a down season and he's made it clear he's not happy about it. Brown looked good against Dallas, but I think the Bears have enough depth to keep him under control. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon will make their presence known. I can see Kyler Gordon getting a sack in this game and making a couple of good stops. It will be fun to watch him and CJ Gardner-Johnson on the field together. Jaylon Johnson on the other hand, I think he'll get an interception in his first game. He'll likely face AJ Brown and add another game to Brown's disappointing season.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Mickey Huff's predictions for Caleb Williams, Bears vs. Eagles
