Monday Night Football: Eagles vs. Bears Picks and Preview

Matchup Preview

The story here starts under center. Caleb Williams is out with a hamstring strain, so 38-year-old Case Keenum draws his first start since 2023. That is a real downgrade for a Chicago offense that leaned on Williams' arm and legs to move the ball.

The Eagles come in 2-0 but haven't covered either game. Philadelphia's defense has been stingy through the air. The run defense is another story: 254 rushing yards allowed over two weeks, 24th in the league. The Bears are 1-1, fresh off a 9-3 dud against Minnesota, but they own one of the most explosive ground games in football.

That is the swing factor. Chicago ran for 281 yards on this same Eagles front last year, and D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai give them the tools to grind clock and keep it low-scoring. With Keenum limiting the passing ceiling, expect the Bears to lean hard on the run.

Philadelphia's counter is its passing game against a thin Chicago secondary. Projected starters Kyler Gordon and Coby Bryant are both out, and with no A.J. Brown, no Hollywood Brown, and no Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith is the clear No. 1 target. You should expect volume to funnel his way.

One thing you can take off the board: weather. Kickoff sits near 64°F with light 5 mph wind and no rain in the forecast, so it's a non-factor for the total or the passing game.

The Picks

Bears +3.5 (-115) at Bovada. Take the home dog and the points. Chicago's ground game already hung 281 yards on this Eagles run defense last year, and Philadelphia still ranks 24th against the run. If the Bears control the clock and keep this close, that field goal of cushion matters.

Under 42.5 (-110) at Bovada. A backup quarterback and two run-heavy game scripts point to a grind. Chicago was held to nine points last week, and the trenches favor defense on both sides. Points should be hard to come by here.

DeVonta Smith Over 71.5 Receiving Yards (-115) at Bovada. Smith is the undisputed WR1 with Brown, Brown, and Goedert all off the field. He draws a depleted Bears secondary missing both projected starting defensive backs. When the targets funnel this cleanly, you want the over.

Best Bet

The Under 42.5 at Bovada is the strongest play, because a backup quarterback and two run-first offenses in a defensive matchup make points genuinely tough to find.