The Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) are the capstone of a first half-season that will see the Bears face five opponents with records above .500. The Eagles have stampeded defenses far better than that of the injury-depleted Bears.
But the Bears are running out of excuses on the injury report. Quarterback Jim Miller is intent on returning after missing two games with shoulder and elbow tendinitis. Cornerback R.W. McQuarters is returning from the hamstring strain of the Green Bay game.
Defensive end Phillip Daniels still is bothered by the ankle strain suffered opening day but he is playing through it and demanding teammates do the same with their injuries. Fellow end Bryan Robinson is suffering from a swollen ankle but, in his absence, rookie Alex Brown is showing himself to be one of the Bears’ four best defensive linemen and providing some desperately needed pass rush.
The key, however, is the return of Miller, who was on track to set a cluster of franchise passing records before the onset of the tendinitis. Miller, sacked once every 30 passes vs. once every seven for Chris Chandler, is one antidote for problems on the offensive line with his ability to avoid sacks (nine in the past two games, six in the first five).
A LOOK AT THE MATCHUPS
Halftimers
The Bears never have won the eighth game of a season under coach Dick Jauron. From 1995-98 they never lost one under coach Dave Wannstedt, including 1997 when the 0-7 Bears upset the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
5.1
Average gain every time a Philadelphia Eagle runs with the ball, best in the NFL. This will be matched against a Bears defense that is giving up 129 yards on the ground every week, 26th in the league and the worst by a Bears team since 1981 (134). The Bears acknowledge that if you cannot stop the run, you cannot win, and they have proved it.
Hand to hand
LT Marc Colombo vs. Eagles DE Hugh Douglas
Douglas has been a scourge of the Bears and is one of the best rushers in the NFL. The Bears hope to stretch the Philadelphia defense by using the whole field but won’t be able to do that if Colombo cannot fight Douglas at least to a draw. The best thing Colombo can do for himself and the Bears is dominate Douglas in run blocking, which will help the Bears establish the run, slow Douglas by making him respect the run and give much-needed credibility to play-action passes, the key to the Bears’ hopes for downfield passing.
