Philadelphia Eagles Need Faster Pressure to End Takeaway Drought

The Philadelphia Eagles are 2-0, but their defense enters Week 3 still looking for its first takeaway. Philadelphia has three sacks through two games, with no interceptions or fumble recoveries, a thin return for a unit loaded with front-line talent and a secondary built to make passing windows scarce.

That puts the focus on how quickly the Eagles can affect the quarterback Monday night in Chicago. The Bears have not announced a starter: Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (hamstring) and quarterback Tyson Bagent (concussion) both missed practice Thursday and Friday, leaving veteran Case Keenum as the healthy option.

Locked On Eagles host Louie DiBiase argued that the issue is not Philadelphia’s ability to create pressure. He pointed to the gap between the Eagles’ strong overall pressure rate and their lack of quick pressure, saying too many plays have depended on coverage holding up long enough rather than the front winning immediately.

That distinction matters against an unsettled Chicago passing game. Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio can lean on the four-man rush, but DiBiase wants more disguised pressure and selective blitzes to force hurried decisions. The goal is not simply to add bodies to the rush. It is to make the Bears quarterback operate before routes fully develop.

The current sack totals also show where the finish has been missing. Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell, outside linebacker Nolan Smith Jr. and defensive tackle Jalen Carter each have one sack. Ojomo and Hunt have been productive around the ball but have not yet converted a sack, which was central to DiBiase’s concern after the first two games.

DiBiase also offered a reason not to treat the turnover drought as a full-scale alarm. Cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen have given opposing quarterbacks little reason to test the boundary, he said, while the Eagles have generally kept offenses from finding easy throws. Strong coverage can reduce interception chances when quarterbacks choose safer options or avoid certain matchups altogether.

Still, coverage alone will not erase the need for more impact plays. Carter has a forced fumble this season, but Philadelphia did not recover it. Against a Bears offense working through quarterback uncertainty, the Eagles have a chance to turn pressure into sacks and loose balls instead of leaving disruption unfinished.

Monday’s game at Soldier Field gives Philadelphia a measuring stick, though not the one they expected with a healthy Williams. The Eagles do not need to abandon the coverage-first identity that has helped them start 2-0, but they need their rush to arrive sooner and convert those chances into big plays.