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The holidays are upon us, and the next gift is a battle of NFC heavyweights in the NFL's third annual Black Friday contest. Except the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles, who will square off at Lincoln Financial Field, are in much different places.

Few expected Chicago to be 8-3 after Thanksgiving, even with an anticipated boost under the direction of new coach Ben Johnson. In fact, plenty of Bears players are probably just as surprised about the team's standing, considering how many of Windy City's victories have come as a result of last-minute heroics.

The Eagles are also 8-3, which isn't a surprising record for the reigning Super Bowl champions. But that record might also be a bit deceiving: While Vic Fangio's defense has remained stingy, allowing barely 20 points per game, the Birds' big-name offense is producing below its paygrade, with the once-vaunted O-line struggling to clear running lanes for Saquon Barkley.

As both the Bears and Eagles survive on the margins, which side is due for victory on Friday? It's a must-see matchup either way.

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Here's everything you need to know to catch the Black Friday showdown, including key matchups and our prediction:

Where to watch Eagles vs. Bears live

*Note: This Prime Video broadcast is free; it does not require an Amazon Prime subscription, just an Amazon account.

Key questions

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  • Can Saquon Barkley finally break free? Very little is going right for the reigning Offensive Player of the Year. Not only is the running back's formerly dominant line struggling to meet expectations, with Lane Johnson banged up and fellow lynchpins like Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson losing ground, but Barkley himself seems to lack some of the pre-contact burst that made him a monster in 2024. Perhaps this is just the defense he needs to face, as Chicago's linebacker corps is all bruised up, and Dennis Allen's unit, though opportunistic with an NFL-leading 24 takeaways, ranks 28th in run defense.
  • How will Ben Johnson attack the Eagles' secondary? Caleb Williams has been a bit scattershot as the Bears' signal-caller, but one thing he's done well is control the ball, with just four interceptions on the year. This might be the time Johnson lets Williams air it out, however, with Philly in the middle of another cornerback shuffle. Adoree' Jackson is banged up on the outside, and both Reed Blankenship and Andrew Mukuba are also hurt at safety, leaving the Eagles vulnerable against the deep ball.
  • Can Philly's front fluster Caleb Williams? Again, Williams has done a decent job protecting the rock even while the Bears have endured streaky stretches as an offense. But if there's one thing the Eagles defense does well, it's disrupt in the trenches, with freakish front-seven standouts like Jalen Carter and Zack Baun always around the ball. The last time Chicago faced a top-10 defense according to DVOA grades, the Bears struggled mightily to keep up with the rival Detroit Lions.

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X factor to watch

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D'Andre Swift
CHI • RB • #4
Att142
Yds649
TD4
FL2
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Two years after logging his first career 1,000-yard rushing season as the No. 1 back for the Eagles, Swift will be back in Philly as part of a hit-or-miss Bears tandem. While rookie Kyle Monangai may be Chicago's new "finisher" and/or top overall ball carrier, Swift remains a home run threat with top-end breakaway burst. And the Eagles have proven vulnerable when defending the run, allowing Javonte Williams and Malik Davis to gain 111 combined yards in the Dallas Cowboys' Week 12 comeback win. It wouldn't be a shock if Ben Johnson tries to scheme up open-field opportunities for Swift to stretch the field against his old team.

Prediction

The Bears just keep finding ways to win. Which is kind of what we usually say about the Eagles. So which team is for real? Which one has a more authentic 8-3 mark going into Black Friday's showdown? Forgive us if we tend to side with the defending champs.

Chicago is no doubt proving scrappy under Johnson's watch, and if Dennis Allen's defense can find a way to force a loose ball against the Birds as the Cowboys did, well, we could be in for a real stunner at the Linc. The injuries at the back end of the Eagles' own defense aren't anything to overlook, either.

All that said, there's still a clear disparity in top-end talent when you put these teams head to head. If Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith can't gut one out at home against this group, even on a short week after a tough divisional loss, then it'll really be time to sound the alarms in Philadelphia. Or just put some genuine respect on the Bears' name.

Pick: Eagles 27, Bears 17 | Eagles -7, Under 44.5