Monday Night Football gives the Philadelphia Eagles another chance to show what this team can become. The Chicago Bears present a different set of challenges than the teams Philadelphia has faced so far, and some will require more from players who haven't necessarily been at the center of the conversation.
The margin for error gets smaller when a team goes on the road for a prime-time game, particularly against an opponent coached by Ben Johnson. The Bears have enough speed, physicality, and creativity to make Philadelphia work for every yard, which puts pressure on several Eagles who need to turn promising moments into more consistent production.
Philadelphia has enough established stars to carry plenty of attention, but winning on the road in prime
time will require contributions from several other places. These five Eagles have particularly important opportunities against Chicago.
Saquon Barkley, running back
Saquon Barkley hasn't looked like the same dominant back Philadelphia saw during his first season with the Eagles. There are legitimate reasons for that, including the team's offensive-line issues, but another uncomfortable fact is worth acknowledging: Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley have run behind that same offensive line in Week 2, and at times, they looked more effective.
Barkley has 19 carries for 92 yards through two games, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. The numbers aren't terrible, but they aren't exactly what the Eagles envisioned when they built their offense around his ability to create explosive plays.
The Eagles need more from Barkley against Chicago. If the running game remains inconsistent, Philadelphia becomes increasingly dependent on Jalen Hurts and the passing attack. Barkley doesn't have to carry the entire offense, but he needs to make his presence felt.
Jalyx Hunt, EDGE
Jalyx Hunt has gotten off to a relatively quiet start, with eight tackles and no sacks through two games. That isn't a reason to panic, particularly because he has generated seven pressures despite not getting home for a sack.
Still, Philadelphia needs Hunt to start turning some of that pressure into production. Jonathan Greenard remains sidelined, allowing Hunt to establish himself as a dependable part of the Eagles' pass rush. He has the athletic ability to create problems, and Monday night would be a great time to show it.
Makai Lemon, wide receiver
Yes, Makai Lemon missed much of the spring and summer while dealing with a hamstring injury. That context matters, but he has now had time to get back on the field, including two regular-season games, and four catches for nine yards simply isn't going to cut it.
The Eagles clearly remain confident in Lemon. Sean Mannion has said the receiver is doing plenty of the little things well. That's encouraging, but Philadelphia also needs to put him in situations where he can show what he can do as a receiver. The screen pass thrown behind the line of scrimmage that produced a five-yard loss has run its course. Let Lemon run his routes and let his talent work naturally.
Andrew Mukuba, safety
Mukuba has played plenty of football through two weeks, but some areas of his game need improvement. His PFF coverage grade sits at 56.6, while his run-defense grade is 65.0, and he has allowed both passes thrown his way to be completed.
That's worth watching against a Ben Johnson offense that will look for favorable matchups. If Chicago identifies Mukuba as someone it can isolate or manipulate, Philadelphia will need its safety to answer the challenge. He doesn't have to become a star overnight. He does need to make sure the Bears can't turn his coverage responsibilities into a consistent source of offense.
Darius Cooper, wide receiver
Darius Cooper gets mentioned because of what he has done, not what he hasn't.His best game came against the Tennessee Titans, when he caught two passes for 26 yards and the biggest touchdown of his young season: the game-winning score with nine seconds remaining.
Now comes the harder part. Can he make that performance the beginning of something consistent rather than a one-game spike?
Philadelphia may need to lean on Cooper in the passing game, particularly with Lemon still searching for production andZach Ertz needing time to get comfortable in the offense. The touchdown changed the conversation. Another productive performance would make it much more difficult to dismiss Cooper as a one-game story.
Worth mentioning: Cam Jurgens, guard
If you're noticing Cam Jurgens' name a lot recently, there's a reason. He can seemingly be talked onto any list — X-factors, players on the hot seator, now, players who need to step up.
Philadelphia has already asked Jurgens to move inside to left guard after Landon Dickerson went on injured reserve, and the Eagles need more consistency from their reshuffled interior. That makes Monday another important test.
Sure, we could spread the wealth and mention someone else here. At the same time, how do you not mention Jurgens on a list like this? Right now, every conversation about the Eagles' offense comes back to the offensive line, and Jurgens is right in the middle of it.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 5 Eagles who must step up vs. Bears on Monday Night Football
