The obvious storylines surrounding Monday Night Football this week are easy to find. Most of the attention will center on Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley's health, along withCaleb Williams' status, and whether the Philadelphia Eaglescan improve to 3-0.
Those topics deserve the spotlight, but games are often decided by details that receive far less attention. Hidden matchups, overlooked statistics, unexpected personnel situations, and even the weather can quietly influence the outcome. As the Eagles prepare for a trip to Soldier Field, here are a few under-the-radar storylines worth watching.
Bears have only amassed six tackles for loss this season
This seems hard to believe, so we checked all the major sports platforms for a deep dive into the Bears' stats to verify. Only six of Chicago's defenders have
tackled someone behind the line this season (and all have one TFL): Tyrique Stevenson Sr., Malik Muhammad II, Montez Sweat, Kentavius Street, Austin Booker, and Dayo Odeyingbo.
Stevenson and Muhammad play in the secondary. Muhammad registered one of Chicago's five sacks. The Eagles will have an opportunity to rack up some ground yards, and seemingly they can do so by getting out of their own backfield. That has been an issue since the 2025 season.
Can the Eagles avenge being gashed for 281 rushing yards last season?
While speaking with the media this week, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni refused to call this a 'revenge game.' This isn't meant to be insulting, but after watching him lead this team for several seasons, it's hard to believe that he doesn't remember that.
Something tells us that he has reminded his team of that gaudy number this week. Something tells us Vic Fangio's defense will want to make a statement and disallow that from happening again. No one does 'petty' like Nick Sirianni, and let's be honest, when he harnesses that correctly, it can be an undeniable reason to love him.
Worth noting: 255 of those rushing yards came from Kyle Monangai (130) and D'Andre Swift (125) last season. Philadelphia’s defense is allowing 4.2 yards per carry.
Case Keenum has only started four games since 2020
Let's say Caleb Williams can't go, and let's say Tyler Bagent doesn't clear concussion protocol. Case Keenum will get the keys to lead the Bears' offense on Monday Night Football. Rust may play a factor. He hasn't played very often this decade.
He has started only four games since the start of the 2020 regular season. During this span, he has thrown four TD passes and four interceptions. He has thrown one TD pass since 2022.
Weather could play a factor.
The words 'weather' and 'Soldier Field' may evoke stress for Eagles fans old enough to remember the Fog Bowl. Still, Philadelphia may want to get this running game going for more than one reason. First, it creates balance and makes the offense less predictable. Second, good rushing attacks always travel well. Third, weather may play a role.
At a glance, AccuWeather expects a temperature of 70 degrees. 6mph winds are possible, and there is a slight chance of rain. Philadelphia's aerial attack has been largely satisfactory, but schematic adjustments may be needed if the weather becomes an issue.
None of these storylines will dominate pregame television coverage or lead the national headlines on Tuesday morning. However, each could influence how the game unfolds.
Whether it's the Eagles finally finding consistency in the running game, Philadelphia's defense responding after last season's struggles against Chicago's rushing attack, a veteran quarterback being pressed into action, or weather affecting offensive strategy, the little things could matter as much as the obvious ones. If the Eagles handle those details, they'll put themselves in position to leave Soldier Field with a victory and a 3-0 start.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Bears’ 281 rushing yards still loom over the Eagles’ trip to Chicago
