Caleb Williams can be a gamechanger at quarterback for the Bears, something Eagles Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio is well aware of.
"He creates a real dilemma for you," Fangio said ahead of facing the Bears on Monday. "You can have a good down going against the passing play that they have called and he can bail them out with his scrambling ability, his ability to improvise. That's what makes him an elite QB."
After Williams and the Bears put up a whopping 59 points against the Panthers in Week 1, they only managed to score three against the Vikings in Week 2. The 56-point dropoff is the second-worse differential from Week 1 to Week 2 by a team in NFL history. Worse, Williams suffered a non-contact hamstring injury in the fourth quarter and had to be carted off the field. The former first-overall pick has been labeled as a "week to week" decision by Head Coach Ben Johnson – not ruling him out of Monday's contest completely.
Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent's availability is also questionable as the former NCAA Division II star deals with a concussion. Third-string option Case Keenum is the only Bears quarterback whose status for Monday is not currently in doubt.
While Fangio said that the team "doesn't have enough information yet" to know which quarterback they will be facing, the veteran coordinator isn't fazed by the uncertainty.
"We're preparing for Chicago's offense. I don't think their offense will change a whole lot schematically, so that's what we'll prepare for," Fangio said.
Chicago's running game will be the focus of the defense – with or without Caleb Williams. When the Eagles hosted the Bears last season at Lincoln Financial Field, Chicago's offense put up 281 rushing yards against the Eagles' defense, with Kyle Monangai and D'Andre Swift each recording 100+ yards on the ground.
"We got to play it better, obviously," Fangio said. "They are one of the better running teams in the league. They got a really great O-line, great backs. Their scheme is good. We're going to have to play it a whole lot better."
Even without the threat Williams brings in the passing game, keeping the defense honest, Fangio doesn't believe Chicago's rushing attack will falter schematically without their starting quarterback.
"They're an under-center offense," Fangio said. "So, it's not like it's a lot of gun zone read, QB-generated runs. They're under center handing it off. They do a great job of blocking."
The Eagles' defense has no choice but to watch the tape from last year against the Bears, no matter how tough of a watch it is.
"You aren't going to be able to flush it away," Fangio said of the teams' performance last year against the Bears. "It's going to be on our cut-ups, so they'll be seeing it."
Swift has had a strong start to the season for the Bears, recording 169 rushing yards and three touchdowns through two games. Meanwhile, Monangai has averaged 7.3 yards per carry through the first two games of the NFL season, totaling 147 yards and a touchdown.
It will be up to the Eagles' front seven to not repeat the same mistakes as last year. This week, Fangio said that he believes that both edge rushers, Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith, have done a "good job" so far. Fangio also mentioned that Jalen Carter played above his expectations coming off injury against the Titans.
"He actually did a little better than I thought he would because he's got a cast on his one hand and wrist area and that can really hinder you," Fangio said. "But he did better than I thought he would."
It will take all of the defensive players on the field for the Eagles to defend the run on Monday – no matter who starts at quarterback for the Bears. - Written by Caroline Connor
