This should be a good hard hitting football game to end play on Sunday in the NFL.  The Eagles will probably come out throwing against the Bears who are allowing 249.7 yards passing per game this season.  Look for Donovan McNabb to spread the ball around so that the Bears can’t focus on stopping any one receiver.  The Bears will need to blitz McNabb or they will be at his mercy as WRs Desean Jackson, Hank Baskett and Greg Lewis are all off to good starts this season.  It’s up in the air as to whether or not Brian Westbrook will be available or not in this game but Correll Buckhalter is a very capable replacement for him both catching and running the football.  The Bears do have one of the best run defenses in the NFL so far this season holding their opponents to only 71.3 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry.

The Bears are conservative on offense but that might change tonight as the Eagles will gang up to stop rookie RB Matt Forte.  The Bears are averaging 152.0 yards rushing per game this season but the Eagles are only allowing 45.7 yards rushing per game and 2.4 yards per carry so something has to give here.  If the Bears have trouble running the football they will be in deep trouble against a Eagles’ defense that already has 13 sacks this season. 

PREDICTION:  PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 24, CHICAGO BEARS 13

The Bears have finally given up on WR Mark Bradley releasing him earlier this week.  He just couldn’t stay healthy enough to live up to his ability.  He played in 2 games for the Bears this season and he didn’t catch any passes.  He finishes his career with the Bears having played in 34 games (4 starts) in which he caught 38 passes for 583 yards (15.3 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  Losing Bradley won’t likely come back to haunt the Bears as he is probably to injury prone to get another chance in the NFL.

The Bears played a great game for 3 3/4 quarters before blowing it at the end.  Brian Griese led a 11 play, 79 yard drive to tie the football game up with 7 seconds left to go.  Then he led the Buccaneers on a 12 play, 90-yard drive in OT to set up a 21-yard Matt Bryant field goal to end the game.  Kyle Orton was so-so in this game as he completed 22 of 34 passes for 268 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 interceptions (one was returned for a TD by Gaines Adams (45 yards)).   Matt Forte continued his solid play this season with 89 yards rushing on 27 carries (3.3 ypc) and he also caught 7 passes for 66 yards (9.4 avg) with a TD grab.  Brandon Lloyd also had a fantasic game as he caught 6 passes for 124 yards (20.7 avg) with a TD grab.  He also caught a pass from Kyle Orton for a 2-point conversion.  The Bears finished up with 158 yards rushing on 37 carries (4.3 ypc) and they also completed 22 of 34 passes for 247 yards.

The defense played pretty well for the Bears until the final half of the 4th quarter and the O.T. period.  CB Charles Tillman led the way for the Bears on defense with 11 tackles.  CB Corey Graham pitched in with 7 tackles.  S Kevin Payne, LB Lance Briggs and CB Nathan Vasher each intercepted a pass against their old teammate Brian Griese.  The Bucs finished up with 47 yards rushing on 17 carries (2.8 ypc) and they completed 38 of 67 passes for 407 yards.  The Bears fall to 1-2 on the season after this disappointing loss.

This game has the looks of a defensive slugfest.  The Buccaneers will be given Brian Griese his 2nd start of the season against the team he played for last season.  Without WR Joey Galloway playing tomorrow the Bucs will likely lean more on the running game which would be smart on there part as they are averaging 155.0 yards rushing and 6.5 ypc this season.  Earnest Graham has been an absolute beast this season rushing for 207 yards on 25 carries (8.3 ypc) and Warrick Dunn seems to have found the Fountain of Youth (103 yards rushing, 4.9 ypc) but yards won’t come easy against Brian Urlacher and his buddies who are only allowing 83.5 yards rushing per game and 3.6 ypc.  Look for the Bucs to use their TEs and RBs a lot more in this game when throwing the ball than usual as they don’t have a legit deep threat playing in this game.

The Bears are going to do what they always do and that’s run the football.  Rookie Matt Forte has been excellent this season (215 yards rushing, 4.7 ypc) but he will have a tough task finding yards against a defense that is only allowing 103.0 yards rushing per game and 3.7 ypc.  The Bears will likely be without KR/WR Devin Hester in this game so don’t expect the Bears to get many big plays off special teams.  That means that they will have to take the training wheels off of QB Kyle Orton and let him throw the ball downfield against a Bucs’ defense that is allowing 250.5 yards passing per game this season.

PREDICTION:  TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 17, CHICAGO BEARS 16

The Bears have lost safety Brandon McGowan for the season as he needs ankle surgery.  McGowan played in both games (1 start) for the Bears this season and he made 4 tackles and defensed a pass.  McGowan has played in 25 games (13 starts) in his NFL career and he has made 105 tackles, defensed 1 pass and he has 2 interceptions.  2nd year DB Kevin Payne will start at strong safety for the Bears now.  He has started both games for the Bears this season and he has made 8 tackles.  Payne has played in 5 games (3 starts) in his NFL career and he has made 10 tackles.  If Payne can stay healthy the Bears likely won’t miss McGowan too much.