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Eagles win a bad sign for the rest of the NFL
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) walks off the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

Eagles win a bad sign for the rest of the NFL

 Jalen Hurts had his worst passing game of the season on Sunday and it still wasn't enough to produce an Eagles loss. That's a bad sign for other teams looking for ways to beat Philadelphia this postseason.

Hurts was 22-of-37 for 315 yards with two interceptions on Sunday. It was his first multi-interception game of this season and first since Nov. 28, 2021, against the New York Giants.

He made up for a lackluster passing performance by being a difference-maker on the ground. He finished with 17 carries for 61 yards and three touchdowns. His three rushing touchdowns tied a career-high he previously set on Nov. 21, 2021, against the New Orleans Saints.

Philadelphia won 25-20 despite Hurts's subpar — by his 2022 standard — performance. The team did what good teams are able to do and compartmentalize the errors, not allowing them to snowball into something bigger. The Eagles' defense held the Bears scoreless on the two drives following Hurts's interceptions.

Philadelphia (13-1) trailed for only six minutes against Chicago (3-11), and not once in the second half. The outcome wasn't surprising, but how the team won should draw attention.

Hurts didn't play at the MVP level he's played at this season and was still able to produce three touchdowns. The defense allowed 157 yards on the ground and 5.2 yards a carry and still held the Bears to 20 points. And the team lost the turnover battle, 3-1. That's not a winning formula but the result was still the same as it's been most of this season.

The top seed in the NFC wasn't the best version of itself on Sunday and it didn't matter. That should strike fear in the hearts of other contenders as the playoffs approach.

The postseason is a month away and the numbers suggest the gap between Philadelphia and everyone else isn't as wide as we might think. Watching the Eagles, it's reasonable to think the math is unfair. It's obvious they are in a class all by themselves.

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