Here are my five expectations for the Bears versus Eagles game on Friday:
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Caleb Williams will be the best quarterback in this game
Jalen Hurts and this passing offense have struggled this season, and much of the blame has been on Jalen Hurts’ play. Jalen Hurts has a tough matchup, missing his top receiver this season, Devonta Smith, and the most important pieces of his dominant offensive line. I think Jalen Hurts will struggle in this game and the Bears defense will take away two costly turnovers. Caleb Williams, on the other hand, will build on his strong performance last week. The Bears’ offense continues to improve; This unit is just waiting for the game where they put it all together. The Bears’ running game will be difficult to handle with the Eagles’ dominant front. Just like last week, there was a lot of pressure on Caleb to step up in his case and lead the Bears offense to success. This week will be no different and I think Caleb will be up to the challenge. I can see Caleb throwing for 3 touchdown passes and about the same amount of passing yards. This game will be the “I’ve arrived” game for Caleb Williams.
Colston Loveland will lead Bears in receiving yards
Colston Loveland is a tough cover against any defensive player facing him. He has the speed to outrun linebackers and is too physical for smaller defensive backs. He will be the perfect weapon for the Bears to use in this game. Over the last few games, he has developed more and more trust and connection. His connection with Caleb has also gotten better and better after each game. The Eagles’ defense is stifling, but when Caleb gets in trouble, I think he’ll turn to Love to save him. I expect a similar game to what Loveland had against the Bengals. He may not necessarily have a long touchdown to win a game, but I think he will record 100 receiving yards and a touchdown for the second time this season against Philadelphia.
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Rome Odunze will post over 80 yards and get a touchdown
Rome Odunze began the season leading the NFL in receiving touchdowns, but since that hot streak of games, he has been disappointingly inconsistent. Against the Eagles defense, the Bears will need multiple playmakers to step up. While I think Loveland will lead the Bears in receiving, I think Caleb’s number one target will prove important to him. Roma needs to work on becoming more reliable on a consistent basis, but in crunch moments, he has shown up for Caleb. Rome will show it against the Eagles. I think Rome will reach at least 80 yards receiving, and he and Caleb Williams will connect for a game-winning touchdown.
Montez Sweat will dominate Fred Johnson
The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson again, and Fred Johnson has been solid in a relief role. Montez Sweat is becoming pass rusher Ryan Poles again, and this franchise hoped he would. Sweat has had 6.5 sacks in the last 6 games. A matchup against Fred Johnson should be one where Sweat should be able to continue his dominance. Sweat is coming off a 2-sack game against the Steelers, and I think Sweat can have a similar result on Friday. The Eagles have been a team known for dominating in the trenches; They have simply moved away from it. The Eagles also have three of their five starting offensive linemen dealing with injuries, two of whom will miss Friday’s game. Sweat is the heartbeat of the Bears defensive line, and he will ignite this pass rush into a solid performance against Philadelphia.
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Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon will look great in their return
The Bears will receive reinforcements this week with the return of their star cornerbacks against the Eagles. The Eagles’ passing attack has struggled this season just as much as the Bears’, if not more. With the Bears’ ability to draw conclusions at a high level, even before the return of their star cornerbacks. If the Eagles are missing Devonta Smith in this game, it will be an elite secondary that will just have to prioritize keeping a disgruntled AJ Brown in check. AJ Brown has had a disappointing season and has made it clear that he is not happy about it. Brown looked good against Dallas, but I think the Bears have enough personnel to keep him in check. Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon will make their presence felt. I can see Kyler Gordon getting a sack in this game and making a couple of good stops. It will be fun to see him and CJ Gardner-Johnson share the field together. Jaylon Johnson, on the other hand, I think will get an interception in his first game. He will most likely face AJ Brown and add another game to Brown’s disappointing season.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Micah Huff Predictions for Caleb Williams, Bears vs Eagles