Sloppy, Undisciplined Eagles Beat Themselves in Loss to the Bears: ‘We All Have to Own that Loss’

The Eagles did not lose to the Chicago Bears on Monday night just because Case Keenum turned back the clock or the Bears’ defense stymied the offense. They lost in large part because they flagged themselves out of every bit of momentum they built.

Chicago’s 27-7 win at Soldier Field featured a 38-year-old third-string quarterback, and the Eagles handed him the night on national TV. They were penalized 10 times for 61 yards, doubling the Bears’ five. The Eagles entered with only nine penalties through two games. Chicago entered averaging 10 per game, one of the most penalized teams in the league, and still looked like the more disciplined team.

The troubles started early for the Eagles. Jalen Hurts was called for intentional grounding on the opening drive, and the Eagles punted. On the next possession, Tyler Steen was flagged for holding, erasing a 19-yard run by Saquon Barkley, and Tank Bigsby fumbled on the second-and-20 that followed. The defense bailed them out with a goal-line stand, but Riq Woolen picked up holding and illegal contact flags before halftime.

The sequence that defined the night came midway through the second quarter. The Eagles were at the Chicago 15 when Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson hit Hurts out of bounds. Jackson was flagged for unnecessary roughness, but Lane Johnson was flagged for holding on the same play. The penalties offset, and the down was replayed. Hurts went to the medical tent for a concussion check. Andy Dalton came in cold, and the drive died at the goal line.

“Unfortunate how that series turned out,” Nick Sirianni said postgame. “First-and-goal at the one, we lose some yards, and then we throw an interception.”

Chicago turned the interception into a field goal and a 10-0 lead. Hurts returned in time to punch in a sneak as time expired, and the Eagles trailed 10-7. Then the offense disappeared. The Eagles managed 52 net yards in the second half with three punts, an interception and a turnover on downs. One of those punts came after a delay-of-game penalty on fourth-and-one. Hurts later threw an interception to T.J. Edwards on fourth-and-five.

The final blow came in the fourth quarter, and it came from flags again. Moro Ojomo committed a neutral zone infraction on fourth-and-two, giving the Bears a free first down. Later in the drive, the defensive line got to Keenum for a sack, but Andrew Mukuba was flagged for holding, and Chicago kept the ball. Keenum sneaked in from the one-yard line with 7:21 left to make it 27-7.

Dalton was talking about his interception, but the sentiment fit the entire night. The Eagles kept digging their own holes, and Chicago just had to stay out of the way.

“I can’t turn the ball over in that situation,” Dalton said. “I can’t put us in a bad place like that.”

The rest of the numbers were just as ugly. Hurts finished 16-25 for 153 yards with an interception and was sacked twice. The Eagles gained 248 total yards, converted 22% of their third downs and turned the ball over three times. They now sit at minus-5 in turnover differential, tied for the second-worst in the NFL. Keenum, who had not played a regular-season game since 2023, went 24-of-34 for 247 yards and two touchdowns. Eliminating passing lanes must be a point of focus going into the Los Angeles Rams game because Matthew Stafford is a considerably better quarterback than Keenum.

The defense did have its moments. Quinyon Mitchell knocked away two passes that ended Bears drives, including a fourth-and-goal throw from the 3. Those stops kept the Eagles within reach until the flags and mistakes piled up.

“I think we all have to own that loss right there,” Sirianni said. “I don’t think anybody coached well. I don’t think anyone played well. That was a true team loss. …I have to look at myself first. We weren’t ready to coach, we weren’t ready to play, and that ultimately starts and ends with me.”

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