The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0 and head to the Windy City for a primetime Week 3 matchup. The Chicago Bears are the opponent on Monday Night Football. Enough questions already surround both rosters to make this one particularly interesting. The Bears haven't ruled quarterback Caleb Williams out despite his hamstring injury.
Ben Johnson described the injury as a "week-to-week" issue. Meanwhile, Philadelphia has its own questions. Saquon Barkley underwent an MRI after suffering a stinger against the Tennessee Titans, buthe returned to action in the second half.
Dallas Goedert is expected to miss time with an MCL sprain. Landon Dickerson enters week two of his injured reserve stay. Zach Ertz is back with the Eagles after signing with the practice
squad, giving Philadelphia another receiving option at tight end while Goedert is sidelined.
Regardless of the final injury reports, some fascinating matchups are already taking shape. Here are a few that we're certain to discuss until kickoff of the next edition of Monday Night Football.
Ben Johnson vs. Vic Fangio
This should be fun. Ben Johnson has quickly established himself as one of the NFL's most creative offensive minds, while Vic Fangio has spent decades earning a reputation as one of the league's most respected defensive coaches. Put those two across from one another under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, and there should be plenty to watch before we even get to the players.
The quarterback situation adds another layer. If Caleb Williams is healthy enough to play, Fangio has to account for his mobility and his ability to attack through the air. Tyson Bagent, the backup, is in the NFL's concussion protocol, which brings us to the Vears third-stringer, Case Keenum. If he or Bagent starts, the Eagles will prepare for a different style of quarterback, and Johnson will have to adjust his plan accordingly. Either way, the chess match between the two coaching staffs could shape the game.
Eagles offensive line vs. Bears defensive line
This is where Philadelphia could have one of its most important early tests. The Eagles have already had to reshuffle their offensive line with Dickerson on injured reserve, and Cam Jurgens moved to left guard while Drew Kendall started at center against Tennessee. That combination now has to prepare for another opponent that can create disruption.
The Bears have Kentavius Street, another familiar name to Philadelphia fans, at their defensive tackle spot. Street spent part of the 2023 season with the Eagles before moving on, and he has already recorded a sack for Chicago this season. How the Eagles' reconfigured interior handles that front could go a long way toward determining whether Jalen Hurts gets the kind of clean pockets he's enjoyed in stretches this season.
Jaylon Johnson vs. DeVonta Smith
This individual matchup could get very interesting. Chicago's defense under Dennis Allen has shown an ability to mix coverage looks, with the Bears using substantially more zone coverage once the regular season arrived after showing more man coverage during the preseason.
That means there may not be a traditional snap-after-snap shadow assignment for Jaylon Johnson, but he could certainly find himself across from DeVonta Smith. Johnson has been a dependable presence in Chicago's secondary and has seven tackles through two games this season. If Smith gets favorable matchups, will Jalen Hurts attack them, or will he continue taking whatever the defense gives him elsewhere? That will be worth watching.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles vs. Bears: Early Week 3 matchups to watch on Monday night
