Eagles vs. Bears score, takeaways: Jalen Hurts' three TD runs propel Philly to best start in franchise history

On a day Jalen Hurts didn't have his best performance, the MVP candidate still delivered when his football team needed it most. Hurts threw for 315 yards and rushed for three touchdowns to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 25-20 victory over the Chicago Bears. Philly can clinch the NFC East and the conference's No. 1 overall seed with a victory over the Dallas Cowboys next week. 

Dallas lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars, putting the Eagles up three games on the Cowboys with three games to play and the head-to-head tiebreaker in hand. The Eagles are one win away from wrapping up the division. 

Hurts threw two interceptions, both in the first half. He overcame the rough start only to tie a career high with three rushing touchdowns, while also making some clutch throws to DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown to help Philadelphia escape Chicago with a victory. Hurts finished 21 of 36 for 303 yards with two interceptions (62.6 rating), but also had 15 carries for 63 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. 

Hurts scored all three Eagles touchdowns on the day, and sealed the game with a completion to A.J. Brown on third-and-6 with two minutes to play. Brown finished with nine catches for 181 yards, including a 68-yard catch on third down in the fourth quarter that set up the game-deciding touchdown for Philadelphia. 

Justin Fields had a day for the Bears, becoming just the third quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season -- leading Chicago with 15 carries for 95 yards. Fields also was 14 of 21 for 152 yards and two touchdowns (119.5 rating) in the loss.

DeVonta Smith had five catches for 126 yards for the Eagles, his second 100-yard receiving performance in the last three games. Hurts also became just the third player since 1950 with 300 passing yards and three rushing TDs in a game, joining Dak Prescott (2020) and Jack Kemp (1963). 

Here are our takeaways from the game. 

Why the Eagles won

A.J. Brown was the game-changing receiver once again when the Eagles needed him most. Brown finished with a career-high 181 yards in the victory, but had four catches for 98 yards in the fourth quarter. Brown's highlight catch as a 68-yard reception from Jalen Hurts on third-and-6 from the Eagles' own 29-yard line with 5:35 to play -- taking Philadelphia down to the Chicago 3-yard line (it led to a touchdown and a 25-13 lead).

Brown also sealed the win with a 12-yard catch on third-and-6 with two minutes left, giving the Eagles a first down as the Bears had no time outs remaining. When the Eagles needed Brown to come up with big plays, he did -- just like he has all season. 

Why the Bears lost

The Bears defense didn't have an answer for Jalen Hurts or A.J. Brown in the second half, allowing Hurts to correct his two interceptions from earlier in the game. Brown had seven catches for 156 yards in the second half for the Eagles, becoming the ultimate security blanket for Hurts to get the quarterback back to MVP level. 

Hurts was 14 of 21 for 176 yards in the second half (92.6 rating), but rushed for two touchdowns in the final 30 minutes. The Eagles also converted 60% of their third downs as the Bears couldn't get off the field. 

The Hurts and Brown show took over. Chicago couldn't stop it. 

Turning point

Hurts led the Eagles on a nine-play, 91-yard scoring drive just before the half as the Eagles trailed 6-3 when the Bears decided to punt form the Philadelphia 31-yard line. Hurts went 3 of 4 for 47 yards on the drive, including a 38-yard strike to DeVonta Smith. 

The play of the drive was a 22-yard touchdown run by Hurts on third-and-8, when the Bears blitzed as the Eagles called Hurts' number for the easy touchdown. That score gave Philadelphia the lead for good and set the tone for the second half. 

Why did the Bears punt from the Eagles' 31-yard line? Cairo Sanders declined to kick a 49-yard field goal in harsh, chilly weather with the wind taking effect on the potential kick. Basically, Santos wasn't going to make the kick so the Bears played the field position game instead of going for it. 

Play of the game 

Jalen Hurts threw a perfect deep ball to A.J. Brown on third-and-6 form the Eagles' own 29-yard line, connecting with his No. 1 wide receiver for a 68-yard gain that ended up at the Bears' 3-yard line. A perfect throw resulted in an even better catch.

One crazy aspect of this play was Brown was brought down by Bears safety Jaquan Brisker. Heck of a play by Brisker to prevent the touchdown. 

The quote

"He just controls what he can control. He can't control a bad play earlier and he moves on to the next play. That's just who this guy is....He continues to put himself in the moment, learn from the past, and try to repeat the good things and get better from the things he messed up. He's completely in the moment and that's what great players do." 

-- Nick Sirianni on Jalen Hurts rebounding from two interceptions in the first half to throw for over 300 yards and rush for three touchdowns. 

Up next

The Eagles (11-3) travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys (10-4) Saturday with an opportunity to wrap up the NFC East and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs with a victory. The Bears (3-11) host the Bills (11-3) on Saturday as well.


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Jalen Hurts with his 3rd rushing TD today. That's 13 on the year -- 1 behind Cam Newton for the NFL record for rushing TD by a QB in a season. 303 pass yards, 3 rush TD today. It's the system folks.

December 18, 2022, 8:55 PM
Dec. 18, 2022, 3:55 pm EST
 
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A.J. Brown making sure Jalen Hurts can get MVP. What a throw. What a catch. 8 catches, 170 yards for Brown. Hurts with 303 yards passing today. 

December 18, 2022, 8:51 PM
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Nathan Peterman in for Justin Fields. Threw one pass -- incomplete. Bears will punt. 

December 18, 2022, 8:46 PM
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That Justin Fields run should come back. Blatant hold on that run. Fields is hurt too. 

December 18, 2022, 8:44 PM
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That wasn't going to be an easy kick for Jake Elliott.

Why the Eagles needed a 4th-and-manageable. 

December 18, 2022, 8:40 PM
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A.J. brown with 100 yards and  key block on the 4th down run by Jalen hurts for the first down earlier in the drive. The Eagles WRs came to block today. 

December 18, 2022, 8:37 PM
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The Cowboys are losing to the Jaguars. If the Eagles win and Dallas loses, that Christmas Eve matchup basically means nothing. 

December 18, 2022, 8:35 PM
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DeVonta Smith with another big catch today. That's 4 catches for 118 yards for Smith. Shane Steichen's best call of the day so far. 

December 18, 2022, 8:26 PM
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Shane Steichen has had a great year calling plays.

Today has not been one of them.

Liked that 1-on-1 idea on 4th-and-6, but it lacks creativity. Need another option or two for the QB.

Just seemed predictable. 

December 18, 2022, 8:21 PM
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Velus Jones with a poor fumble at the worst time. Eagles get new life. Hasson Reddick with two sacks and a fumble recovery in this one -- up for defensive player of week honors with this performance. 

December 18, 2022, 8:18 PM
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The Eagles need 2 yards on 3rd down. Why a deep pattern to Quez Watkins?

Any way to get a team back in a game. 

December 18, 2022, 8:11 PM
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Another takeaway leads to points. Justin Fields finds David Montgomery and its 17-13 Eagles. Eagles offense has to respond after 3 turnovers today. 

December 18, 2022, 8:03 PM
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Third giveaway by the Eagles after that Miles Sanders fumble. 

December 18, 2022, 8:00 PM
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Javon Hargrave just clobbered Justin Fields. The Eagles defense has 55 sacks through 14 games, Tied with the 1987 team for the most through 14 games in franchise history. Yes, Jonathan Gannon's defense. 

December 18, 2022, 7:55 PM
Dec. 18, 2022, 2:55 pm EST
 
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Jalen Hurts has tied Cam Newton (2020) and Steve Grogan (1976) for the 2nd-most rush TD by a QB in a season in NFL history (12).

Hurts is 2 rush TD behind Newton (14 in 2011) for the all-time mark.

December 18, 2022, 7:50 PM
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A.J. Brown is damn good. What a catch. What a throw from Jalen Hurts.

December 18, 2022, 7:48 PM
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Instead, Eagles take the lead at halftime and have all the momentum going into the 2nd half. Justin Field has been sacked 5 times by the defense and Philly leads 10-6 at half. Jalen Hurts doesn't look great throwing the football, but his 22-yard TD run gives the Eagles a 10-6 lead. 

December 18, 2022, 7:31 PM
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Miles Sanders gets two carries and runs for 11 yards and a first down. Again, not hard. More plays to him.

Eagles can go for the tie at halftime and get this thing going again with the ball coming out of the break.  

December 18, 2022, 7:15 PM
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Haason Reddick is just carving up Alex Leatherwood.

Keep in mind Leatherwood was a first-round pick -- last year -- on his 2nd team.

December 18, 2022, 7:09 PM
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I don't know anything the Eagles are doing offensively. What is Nick Sirianni and Shane Steichen trying to prove? Why isn't the offensive line blocking well? Why does Miles Sanders only have one carry?

December 18, 2022, 7:07 PM
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This is been a very poor first half by Jalen Hurts.

Not sure what Quez Watkins -- the intended target -- was doing on that throw either.

Again, perhaps the Eagles should run that ball. 

December 18, 2022, 7:05 PM
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It's 6-3 Bears because Fields is 8-of-9 for 81 yards and has 7 carries for 71 yards, yet they're only up 3. 

December 18, 2022, 7:01 PM
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The Bears are outplaying the Eagles so far, thanks to the elusiveness of Justin Fields

Executing what they need to. The Eagles are trying -- well not sure what they are trying.

This doesn't need to be Justin Fields vs. Jalen Hurts. Weird why Philly is making it that way. 

December 18, 2022, 7:00 PM
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The Bears were so fortunate the Eagles didn't recover that.

Haason Reddick crushed Justin Fields on that sack.

Of course Justin Fields gets the first down on the next play...getting away from Reddick. 

December 18, 2022, 6:58 PM
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Thee's the first big run by Justin Fields on 3rd down. Good decision by Fields to take off there. Move the chains, slide, and go down. Fields doesn't have much to work with. Take it yourself. 

December 18, 2022, 6:55 PM
Dec. 18, 2022, 1:55 pm EST
 
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The Eagles haven't ran a single play to their running back yet.

15 plays and zero carries for Miles Sanders. How is that possible? 

December 18, 2022, 6:48 PM
Dec. 18, 2022, 1:48 pm EST
 
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Javon Hargrave with the sack now.

His 9th of the season. Another on third down. Bears will punt as the first quarter ends.  

December 18, 2022, 6:39 PM
Dec. 18, 2022, 1:39 pm EST
 
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The Eagles should probably run the ball.

The Bears pass defense is bad, but this has been a poor sequence of plays on the first two possessions. 

December 18, 2022, 6:35 PM
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Another big third-down sack for the Eagles defense. This time it's Josh Sweat.

8.5 sacks is a new career-high. 

December 18, 2022, 6:30 PM
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Four plays for the Eagles and I didn't get any of them. Poor decision by Jalen Hurts on the INT.

December 18, 2022, 6:25 PM
Dec. 18, 2022, 1:25 pm EST
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