The Bears are preparing for Vic Fangio’s complex defense while gearing up to start third-string QB Case Keenum in a high-stakes Week 3 matchup.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has been coaching football for a long time.
Fangio, 68, is in his 27th season as a defensive coordinator and his fourth year with the Eagles organization after serving as a consultant in the 2022 season. The former Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator is accomplished and respected among his peers in the NFL.
"I just think the consistency," Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said on what he appreciates about Fangio's scheme. "I think when you really watch them, they play tough, they play physical and they execute at a really high level. Vic has done a really good job throughout the course of his career. I have a lot of respect for him and what he's been able to do. I know our offensive guys have their hands full with those guys."
Bears offensive coordinator Press Taylor understands the challenge Fangio's Eagles present, but Chicago did have success against Philadelphia in the team's matchup on Black Friday last season. The Bears ran for 281 total yards in the team's 24-15 win at Lincoln Financial Field.
Despite the Bears' recent success, Taylor believes the team has a "complete clean slate" going into Monday's Week 3 game at Soldier Field.
"I mean, obviously, they have an idea how we wanted to attack what they put on film the year before and now it's kind of the challenge of you're digging through all the tape," Taylor said. "You know, he's obviously done this for a really long time at a really high level so he's seen a lot of the schemes that we run and things like that and how do they want to combat that? How do they take off the first two games of this season and the way we've played this year how do they want to defend that based on what we've seen from other teams and then how does it fit their personnel. So that's the cat-and-mouse game every single week and then now you're going against somebody who's obviously very well established in this league and has done this for a really long time at a really high level and has seen a lot of schemes."
To attack Fangio's scheme, Taylor highlighted it will take patience with how the Eagles "play in the shell" and use multiple different fronts. Through two games this season, the Eagles have allowed just three run plays of 10 yards or more, tied for 26th-fewest in the league. The Eagles primarily play zone defense and have ran variations of cover 3 at 38.7% -- their highest-used zone concept.
The Eagles have given up seven passing plays of 20 or more yards this season -- tied for the sixth-most in the NFL, according to radar360.
Chicago did face a version of Fangio's defense in the 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero learned under Fangio while the two were with the San Francisco 49ers. Of course, Evero likely took pieces of Fangio' scheme and put his own spin to it, but that Week 1 game and last season's matchup against the Eagles does give the Bears film to review.
In the Bears' second injury report this week, Caleb Williams (hamstring) and Tyson Bagent (concussion) both did not practice for the second straight day. Thursday's designation was an estimation since the team didn't practice.
Going against a Fangio defense presents its own unique challenges, but doing so with a 38-year-old third-string quarterback will test the Bears' adaptability. With Case Keenum likely starting, Chicago's offensive preparation will be pushed to the limit for this Week 3 matchup at Soldier Field.
