Jalen Hurts’ Thanksgiving wishes may not come true following latest Bears roster moves ahead of crucial NFC clash
The Eagles passing game could struggle vs. some returning talent for the Bears defense.
Jalen Hurts’ holiday plans just got a bit more difficult. The Philadelphia Eagles don’t have a game on Thanksgiving, but instead, they’re a part of the singular game on Black Friday. They’ll face off with the Chicago Bears for a massive NFC clash at the top of the conference.
The latest roster decisions by Chicago are intriguing when it comes to the Eagles game plan on offense, and Hurts must play a strong game if Philly wants any chance at winning in Week 13.
Bears activate two key defensive backs ahead of Eagles game
According to Ian Rapoport, the Bears are activating Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson and dynamic nickel CB Kyler Gordon off injured reserve. Both will be back for the Bears to defense to help slow down an inconsistent Eagles passing game.
This move is especially worth noting because Johnson could shadow A.J. Brown in this game. Brown had one of his best performances in the team’s Week 12 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but most of his production came in the first half. Philadelphia must find ways to get him involved for all four quarters.
I am also intrigued to see how Chicago deploys Gordon against the Eagles. We could see him cover Dallas Goedert a bulk of the time, and you could argue that the tight end has been the most efficient pass catcher in Philly’s offense when you look at this season as a whole. Regardless, Jalen Hurts will also need to continue avoiding turnovers against a Bears secondary getting back key talent.
I talked to Bears beat writer Kole Noble about the return of these two impact defenders for Chicago. Their roles cannot be understated, and they’ll make life a lot harder on the Eagles offense during Friday’s matchup. Philly will have to find ways to get them out of position as they return from injury.
“The Bears have been without Jaylon Johnson for essentially the entire season. The back-to-back Pro Bowl selection’s only action this season came in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions but even that was short lived after he reaggravated his groin injury that forced him to miss all of training camp. Having him back will be the biggest addition to the secondary. He’s a player capable of single-handedly shutting down an opposing No. 1 receiver, which is the role DC Dennis Allen always envisioned for him going into the season.
As for Gordon, he’s emerged as one of the top nickel defenders in the league and earned a new deal with Chicago this offseason. Under the new scheme, Allen spent the summer cross-training Gordon on the outside and at safety. That’s something that really comes into play now with Gordon coming back considering how good C.J. Gardner-Johnson has looked playing in Gordon’s role during his absence.
Struggling to field the best 11 because you have so many talented players is always a good problem to have, and now the Bears are finally getting some much-needed depth on defense at the perfect time, at least in the secondary.”
All in all, the challenge for Kevin Patullo’s offense is notably harder than it was even 24 hours ago. The defense for Chicago is only getting healthier, while the status of Eagles WR Devonta Smith remains up in the air due to a multitude of injuries.
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