Well they've had plenty of time to prepare for this game, haven't they? The Chicago Bears are at home today, welcoming in Mike Vick and the impressive Philadelphia Eagles.
(7-3) Philadelphia Eagles at
(7-3) Chicago Bears
There's this tidbit of info floating around this game the past couple weeks: Vick has never beaten the Chicago Bears. And to that I say: Big whoop. Vick may have never defeated the Bears, but he's also never had the weapons he's currently packing in Philly. That's going to put Lovie Smith's defense in a tough spot today. There won't be an Eagle on the field that the Bears will be able to overlook. DeSean Jackson hits the home runs through the air, matching perfectly with Vick's excellent deep passes. Jeremy Maclin gets those possession catches on the outside, but he's got plenty of speed. Chicago's corners will not get any rest today.
Beyond the dangerous wide-outs, Chicago's defense will have to contend with the rest of Philly's youth movement. LeSean McCoy proved against the Giants last week that he's always capable of breaking a long run. His ability will put more pressure on Chicago's outside linebackers, who cannot afford to miss tackles today. Tight end Brent Celek has been overlooked as of late, but he'll come up with big plays if left unchecked. After all these weapons, the biggest firearm Andy Reid has is Michal Vick. This season Vick looks like a much different quarterback than he ever did in Atlanta. He's patient in the pocket, he goes through his progressions, and he's gotten tremendously accurate under Reid. It's just scary. Bottling him up early and often could get the Bears on top early, but he's going to make plays. The question is, how many? Chicago's cover-two scheme does a good job defending the big play, but if they can't plan Vick on the turf often, he's going to get the ball down field. (Peppers, I'm looking at you.)
Offensively Chicago won't have as tough a time. (I hope.) Jay Cutler gets a a break today as the Eagles' best corner Asante Samuel will not see action today. After Samuel, the corner depth for Philly isn't outstanding, so the Bear receivers may find some openings. The Philadelphia defense loves to send the blitz, so Mike Tice's offensive line can't miss their assignments. Ever. Philly's defensive line is underrated (look out for Juqua Parker and Trent Cole on the outside) and their linebackers are solid. Stewart Bradley has been making plays in the middle and Ernie Sims was a great pick-up for them. Were I Mike Martz, I'd get Matt Forte and my running game going and lean on it today, using play-action to pick on those corners as the game goes on. But that's just me.
The Odds:
The Eagles are currently a three-point road favorite.
The Prediction:
I feel a loss coming on. The margin? Somewhere between six and ten points.
How many heart attacks will Joe suffer?
Ten plus. It's Mike Vick.
Message to the Bears:
Just don't get embarrassed. Please?
Bear down and happy Jay Cutler day!
Keywords: Andy Reid, Chicago Bears, DeSean Jackson, Jay Cutler, Joe Anello, Lovie Smith, Matt Forte, Michael Vick, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles
