Throughout the week heading into their matchup against the Chicago Bears and their No. 1 rated defense, Eagles defenders were confident it would be their unit that would be the best on the field Sunday.
They were right.
"Understanding their offense, the things they like to do," linebacker Nigel Bradham said. "I felt like a lot of their scheme game-to-game is repetitive."
The Bears' defense had an excellent game of their own, but they faltered when it mattered, allowing a game-winning touchdown drive in the final moments. It was defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's unit that stepped up and got the job done, making plays when they needed to be made and securing the victory.
Although they do not get the publicity that the defense does, the Bears' offense came into the game averaging 26.3 points, which was good for ninth in the NFL. The Bears were held under 20 points just once in eight home games this season.
The Eagles' defense held them to just 15 points.
"It was really just working out for us," Bradham said. "Being able to understand their offense and knowing what they like to do with No. 10 (quarterback Mitchell Trubisky) and how they like to use him and utilize him."
Bradham played a large role — if not the largest — in the Eagles' defense having the dominating day they did.
The linebacker was all over the field, notching seven tackles while helping to shut down the Bears' running game. Chicago finished with just 65 yards rushing on 18 carries. Running back Tarik Cohen, the player the Eagles' defense was most worried about heading into the game, finished with just 27 total yards.
Outside of shutting down Cohen, what was most impressive about the Eagles' defense on Sunday was their ability to step up when it mattered most.
In a game where points were at a premium, the Eagles stopped the Bears from getting in the end zone each of the three times they got inside the 20-yard line. They were also dominant on third dow, allowing the Bears to convert just five of their 16 third-down attempts.
Although they finished the game without a single turnover, the defense came close three times to taking the ball away, including an acrobatic catch by cornerback Avonte Maddox that was initially ruled an interception but was overturned on replay.
The strong game from the defense was just the latest in what has been a dominating last seven games from Schwartz's unit. They are giving up an average of just 18.8 points-per-game over that stretch, forcing 10 turnovers in the process. The Eagles have allowed just one touchdown in the last eight quarters.
That red-hot defense will be tested next Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. The last time Schwartz's team went into New Orleans they allowed 48-points. It was in many ways the turning point of their season.
One thing, however, is clear — the Eagles' defense is playing at an elite level heading into this matchup, something that was not the case the first time around.
"Confident," Bradham said. "See ya'll in New Orleans."
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
