Experts overwhelmingly favor the Eagles, but the Bears boast league-leading takeaways. Can Chicago shock Philadelphia and defy expectations?
People are already out on the Chicago Bears before their Black Friday game with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Bears and Eagles are playing each other for the first time since 2022, when Justin Fields was under center for Chicago. That season was Jalen Hurts' second year as the starter in Philadelphia.
The two franchises have been on very different trajectories since that year, with the Eagles reaching the postseason every year since then, while the Bears have yet to finish with a winning record.
As fans know, Philadelphia won the Super Bowl over the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 last season.
On a recent edition of ESPN's "Get Up," analysts made their picks for who would win the upcoming Black Friday game, with all of them leaning toward the Eagles.
Kimberley A. Martin, Peter Schrager, Louis Riddick and Jeff Saturday all picked the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles.
While the Eagles appear to be the better team on paper, both teams have the same record at 8-3. Chicago is actually just below Philadelphia in the NFC playoff picture after the Eagles lost 24-21 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Rams claimed the top spot following their 34-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.
The Eagles led the Cowboys 21-0 at one point during Sunday's game. Dallas then held Philadelphia scoreless the rest of the way, as Brandon Aubrey hit a game-winning field goal to give the Cowboys the victory.
The Bears are fresh off a 31-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12. It was the first time that the Bears had beaten a team with a winning record all season.
Chicago came into the game missing all three of its starting linebackers. T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds and Noah Sewell were unable to play due to injury. In stepped Amen Ogbongbemiga, D'Marco Jackson and rookie Ruben Hyppolite II.
Hyppolite and Ogbongbemiga left with injuries, but all three made the plays they needed to win for Chicago.
Friday's game will feature an intriguing matchup, as the Bears lead the NFL with 24 takeaways, while the Eagles have the fewest in the league at 6.
We'll see if Chicago can force Jalen Hurts or any other Eagles offensive players into mistakes at Lincoln Financial Field.
Kickoff will be at 2 p.m. CT on Friday, as the Bears look to prove everyone wrong once again.