Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift rushed for a combined 255 yards, Caleb Williams threw a clutch TD pass in the fourth quarter, and the Bears beat the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles 24-15 on Friday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Three moments that mattered

1. Caleb to Cole: QB Caleb Williams didn’t have his best game, but his fourth-quarter touchdown pass to TE Cole Kmet was as clutch as it gets. With the Bears clinging to a 17-9 lead, Williams floated a perfect, play-action pass to Kmet, who leaked behind the defense for the TD, which was a dagger to the defending Super Bowl champs.

2. Violent Dexter: Bears DT Gervon Dexter Sr. inexcusably roughed up Eagles QB Jalen Hurts on a short pass attempt with the Bears leading 10-3 early in the third quarter. Three plays later, the Eagles took advantage of the bonehead penalty with Hurts hitting A.J. Brown for a 33-yard touchdown pass, giving the home team life and finally giving the Philly faithful something to cheer about.

3. Booker beats Barkley: The Bears’ defense wasn’t flashy in the first half, but it avoided giving up the big play. DE Austin Booker made his presence known by tackling All-Pro RB Saquon Barkley for a 2-yard loss on second-and-6 from the Bears 24. Two plays later, the Eagles settled for a field goal.

Three things that worked

1. Second-to-none secondary: Safety Kevin Byard’s diving interception of Hurts’ on-the-move pass in the third quarter was his league-leading sixth of the season and just the second thrown by Hurts this season. It gave the 32-year-old Byard – a Philadelphia native – one more pick than CB Nahshon Wright, who stuffed Hurts’ second-half tush-push sneak by forcing a fumble and then recovering it.

2. Running game: The Bears established control of the game early with Swift and Monangai. Swift carried 10 times for 88 yards and a touchdown in the first half, while Monangai had 41 yards on eight carries. The Bears outgained the Eagles 142 yards to 26 in the first half, averaging 6.5 yards per attempt in building a 10-3 lead. The end-of-the-game numbers were equally impressive. Monangai finished with 130 yards (5.9 average), while Swift had 125 yards (6.9 average). The Bears rushed for 281 yards to the Eagles’ 87.

3. Welcome back to Philly: Swift, who attended high school in Philadelphia and rushed for a career-high 1,049 yards in his lone season with the Eagles in 2023, got the Bears on the scoreboard first. He scored from 3 yards out late in the first quarter and then celebrated by punting the ball into the stands. It was a tone-setting series for Swift, who also had a 23-yard gain on the 11-play, 78-yard drive.

Three things that didn’t

1. Pass rush: It’s been a recurring theme for the Bears. They held Hurts in check most of the game, but when they did have opportunities to pressure him, they failed. Hurts wasn’t sacked once.

2. Passing game: Swirling winds and cold temperatures didn’t help either team’s passing game, and Williams’ accuracy issues continued. He completed only 10 of his first 23 passes. Two of his first-half passes were tipped, including one that skimmed the helmet of DT Jalen Carter, bounced high and was almost intercepted. Williams had a third-quarter screen pass intercepted by LB Jalyx Hunt.

3. Offensive execution in Philly territory: The Bears’ opening drive ended after 11 plays when Monangai was stuffed on fourth-and-1 from the Eagles 25. Later in the first half, the Bears drove to the 12. But three incompletions followed – Williams underthrew a wide-open Rome Odunze in the end zone – and the Bears settled for Cairo Santos’ 30-yard field goal.

What’s next?

The NFC North-leading Bears (9-3) don’t play again until Sunday, Dec. 7, when they play the Packers (8-3-1) at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The kickoff has been moved to 3:25 p.m.