November 24, 2017
There are a lot of ways to measure how good a team is – record, point differential, strength of schedule, and the list goes on.
But one of the best ways to tell how dominant a team has been to look at what their opponents did the following week.
When a team beats the living hell out of its opponents, like the Eagles have been doing in recent weeks, those opponents typically don't fare well in their next games. With the Cowboys' loss to the Chargers on Thursday afternoon, each of the Birds last five opponents have gone on to lose the following week.
Here's a look at how that's played out:
| WK | AGAINST EAGLES | FOLLOWING WEEK |
| 6 | PHI 28, CAR 23 | CAR loses to CHI, 17-3 |
| 7 | PHI 34, WAS 24 | WAS loses to DAL, 33-19 |
| 8 | PHI 33, SFO 10 | SFO loses to ARI, 20-10 |
| 9 | PHI 51, DEN 23 | DEN loses to NE, 41-16 |
| 11 | PHI 37, DAL 9 | DAL loses to LAC, 28-6 |
This week, the Eagles have a date with the lowly Bears, who are 3-7 and have one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Their defense ranks in the middle of the league, but with the way Carson Wentz and the offense are playing, that's likely not going to get it done.
And for all the talk about this possibly being a trap game for the Birds, with a three-game road trip that includes back-to-back games against the Seahawks and Rams on deck – well, no one seemed to tell any of these guys. Every single expert, analyst, whatever you want to call them – they all picked the Eagles to improve to 10-1 this week.
I guess that means the 49ers will pick up their second win of the season next week; they play the Bears.
And now, onto the picks...
• Jimmy Kempski, PhillyVoice: Eagles win.
It's hard to fathom the Eagles are likely about to be 10-1, but, well, here we are.
• ESPN staff: All 10 of their panelists have the Eagles winning.
• Elliot Harrison, NFL.com: Eagles 30, Bears 16
The score reads like it's going to be a near blowout, but I don't think it'll get out of control until late, when Mitchell Trubisky is forced to get the Bears back in the game. As long as this deal stays within 10 points, Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen will see the vast majority of the offensive work. Alfred Morris made hay against the Eagles last Sunday night, until the game situation took him out. Philadelphia will have trouble with the Chicago backs. Although not enough trouble, apparently.
• CBSSports.com staff: All eight of their NFL experts believe the Eagles will win on Sunday – and six of the eight believe the Birds will cover the 13.5-point spread.
• FiveThirtyEight: Nate Silver's computers have the Eagles as the second-heaviest favorite this weekend, giving them an 88 percent chance of winning. The only team higher? The Patriots, who have a 90 percent chance of beating Miami.
• OddsShark: This computer also sees a big win for the Birds, prediction a totally normal final score of 34-5.
• Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk: Eagles 40, Bears 17
Twenty-nine years after these two teams met in the Fog Bowl, one of them will be feeling like they can’t see five feet in front of them.
• Michael David Smith, ProFootballTalk: Eagles 31, Bears 13
An easy schedule is helping Philadelphia march toward the first seed in the NFC. A win over the Bears is all but assured.
• Chris Simms, Bleacher Report: Eagles 31, Bears 17
The Chicago Bears are a team that wants to beat you with physicality on both sides of the ball. That game plan goes out the window in this matchup because there might not be a more physical team up front on offense and defense than the Philadelphia Eagles.
• SBNation staff: All eight are picking the Eagles to win.
• Bleeding Green Nation staff: All seven of their writers are picking the Eagles.
• Chicago Sun-Times staff: All five of their football writers are picking the Eagles, but two believe the bears will cover. Even still, there's not a ton of optimism, even from them. Here's Rick Tealander explaining his 28-20 prediction:
This seems like a nasty rout in the making, but the Bears never do quite what you expect them to. In fact, if I weren’t tired of swimming upstream with this “transitioning” club, I’d be tempted to pick them in an upset. Nope.
• Chicago Tribune staff: All seven of their Bears writers are prediction an Eagles' win. Here's Rich Campbell weighing in:
Eagles are one of most balanced teams in NFL. They have scored the most points. Their 20 takeaways are third-most. They have a game-changing quarterback. They aren’t a favorable matchup for anyone, let alone the offensively-challenged Bears, whose best defensive players are injured.
• NJ.com staff: All seven experts think the Birds will cover. [NOTE: These picks were against the spread]
• The Eagles Wire staff: All five of their writers have the Eagles winning big, including Turron Davenport, who sees a 35-3 final score:
The Bears’ only strength is running the ball, but the Eagles are tops in the NFL against the run. That’s doesn’t bode well for Chicago. Carson Wentz and the offense will continue their balanced attack as they roll over the Bears at home.
• David Steele, Sporting News: Eagles 27, Bears 10
The brief window of optimism about the Bears hanging in the playoff race slammed shut fast with three straight aggravating losses. Now it’s just getting Mitchell Trubisky experience and making decisions on the coaches, front office and roster. If the Eagles are going to cool off at any point, this week isn't likely to be the time.
• Vinny Iyer, Sporting News: Eagles 31, Bears 7
Mitchell Trubisky will aspire to have the same kind of second season as fellow second overall pick Carson Wentz has had this year. But for now, Wentz has the greater supporting receivers (including former Bear Alshon Jeffery) and the deeper running game. Chicago's defense will only limit Philadelphia for a couple series before the Eagles fly up to their usual heights. Trubisky will be under siege against Philly’s defense for much of the second half.
• Benjamin Hofmann, NY Times: Eagles win and cover. [NOTE: This pick was against the spread.]
The Eagles (9-1) did not end up with the best record in the N.F.L. by chance. Their defense puts enormous pressure on opposing quarterbacks on nearly every play, forcing bad throws, and they capitalize on nearly any mistake. Carson Wentz carves up opposing defenses with the efficiency of a far more experienced quarterback, and ever since the team acquired Jay Ajayi, the running game has been just as devastating. To expect a win against the lowly Bears (3-7) is obvious, but oddsmakers created an interesting situation by making the point spread so large.
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