After missing the last two games while in concussion protocol, Bears rookie defensive backs Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker are eager to get back on the field. But against the red-hot Eagles? The No. 1 offensive team in the NFL?
“All the time, every time,” Gordon said. “I never want to shy away from the opportunity. That’s stuff for me to get better, for me to compete and show that I can play the game. I’m never going to shy away from the competition and the best. That’s what we live for — [to] play the best.”
It will be a supreme test for both players. The Eagles not only lead the NFL in scoring (29.7 points per game) and are third in total offense (392.0 yards per game), but are on a particularly impressive roll heading into the game Sunday at Soldier Field.
The Eagles scored 40, 35 and 48 points in their last three games against the Packers, Titans and Giants, averaging 463.3 yards in that span. Quarterback Jalen Hurts leads the NFL in passer rating (108.4), with 22 touchdown passes and only three interceptions.
“It’s always a great opportunity when a team like this comes into our home turf,” Brisker said. “That’s why you play the game — against great quarterbacks, the great receivers, a thousand-yard rusher in Miles Sanders. It’s always great to be challenged every week. No one’s going to shy away from the Eagles or whoever comes in here or wherever we go.”
A slumping Bears defense that has dropped from a tie for seventh to 29th in points allowed during a six-game losing streak needs all the help it can get. Gordon, a cornerback from Washington drafted 39th overall in the second round, and Brisker, a safety from Penn State drafted 48th overall in the second round, are foundation pieces for coach Matt Eberflus’ defense. Both had started every game before getting injured.
With the 3-10 Bears building for next season, Gordon and Brisker can benefit from the last four games of the season as much as any player other than quarterback Justin Fields. The Bears face four of the top-10 scoring teams in the NFL in the last month — the Eagles (first), Bills (fourth), Lions (fifth) and Vikings (10th).
Gordon has had his share of rookie moments in an up-and-down season, with one interception, four pass breakups and one forced fumble.
“He’s done a lot of good things,” Eberflus said. “[It’s] just consistency. He’s had games in which he’s tackled really well. And then games when he’s had opportunities where we wish he’d have been better.”
Brisker has exceeded expectations. He has a team-high three sacks to go with 73 tackles, five tackles for loss, one interception, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He was eighth in fan voting for the Pro Bowl at strong safety as of Wednesday morning.
“He’s a really good blitzer; we like to send him a lot,” Eberflus said. “We’re pleasantly surprised where he is. Every time we’ve asked him to do something to get better at, he’s done it. We’re excited to see where this is going here the next four games.’’
Brisker said he has not felt any concussion symptoms since the day after the Falcons game and will be ready to go full-speed Sunday.
“I’m going to still play aggressive; having a concussion doesn’t change that,” Brisker said. “It’s just now that I’m cleared, everything is a thousand percent. So it doesn’t really change the way I’m going to go out there.”
Gordon also said there will be no mental hurdle to clear when he returns.
“It’s like an annoying thing, really,” Gordon said. “Once I got cleared, it was behind me. I just try to focus on Philadelphia and the next step of the [developmental] process of everything I’m doing. I don’t really think about it at all.”
