page_title: 2016 Chicago Bears season
section_title: Week 2: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
hierarchical_section_title: 2016 Chicago Bears season / Regular season / Game summaries / Week 2: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
caption_attribution_description: Entrance of Soldier Field athletic complex in Chicago Illinois US. Home field of the Chicago Bears NFL team.
context_page_description: The 2016 Chicago Bears season was the franchise's 97th season in the National Football League and the second under head coach John Fox.
  The Bears looked to improve upon their 6–10 record from 2015; however, they suffered a second consecutive 0–3 start and were plagued by injuries with an NFL-high 19 players on the injured reserve list by the end of the season. Multiple injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler resulted in backups Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley playing much of the season. They finished with a 3–13 record, the worst record for the team since the NFL's move to 16-game seasons in 1978. Overall, it was the 2nd worst record in franchise history to the Bears' 1969 record of 1-13. The Bears also went 0–8 on the road for the first time in franchise history. After the season, Cutler was released, and initially announced his retirement from the NFL, but he later signed with the Miami Dolphins.
context_section_description: The Bears' home opener was against the Philadelphia Eagles. In 43 games, the Bears led the all-time series 30–12–1; though the Eagles won their last game in 2013 54–11, the Bears won 31–26 in their most recent game at Soldier Field in 2010. From 1933–1995, the Bears won all 15 games against the Eagles in Chicago, but were 2–5 since. The game also marked the second Bears–Eagles game on Monday Night Football in Soldier Field (the first since a 27–13 win in 1989) and the first MNF game between the two since a 30–24 victory at Lincoln Financial Field in 2011. For the Bears' offense to succeed against the Eagles, Jeff Joniak stated it would have to be more productive; while the Bears had 12 possessions (a league average) against the Texans, none of them were at least ten plays long, while also having only 54 snaps, the second-least in the NFL. In comparison, in their win against the Browns in week one, the Eagles ran 73 plays with a league-high 39:20 time of possession. On defense, the Bears had to improve on third down, where they allowed an NFL-high 12 of 20 third down conversions last week. Likewise, the defense had to pressure Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, who completed all eight of his passes in blitzing situations against Cleveland.
  After Chicago punted, Philadelphia took the lead with Caleb Sturgis' 25-yard field goal. Though the Bears attempted to respond with Connor Barth's 31-yard kick, it hit the left upright; they would take the lead on their next series with Jeremy Langford's one-yard touchdown run, receiving support from Jay Cutler throwing a 49-yard pass to Alshon Jeffery to reach the Eagles' five-yard line. Sturgis kicked 29- and 53-yard field goals to give the Eagles the 9–7 lead entering halftime. During the half, Cutler injured his right thumb and aggravated it during the Bears' first drive of the third quarter when he was strip-sacked by Destiny Vaeao. Late in the quarter, the Eagles scored two touchdowns in 21 seconds; Ryan Mathews scored on a three-yard run and Trey Burton caught a two-yard pass from Wentz (although Sturgis missed the following extra point); the Burton score was established after Cutler's pass for Jeffery was intercepted by Nigel Bradham. Cutler left the game prior to the start of the fourth quarter and was replaced by Brian Hoyer. With Hoyer leading the offense, the Bears traveled 25 yards before their drive ended due to Langford fumbling the ball and the Eagles' Ron Brooks recovering. Philadelphia converted the turnover into a score with Mathews' one-yard touchdown run. With 5:09 left in the game, Eddie Royal scored on a 65-yard punt return, but Brent Celek ended any chance of a comeback when he recovered Barth's onside kick.
  The Bears fell to 0–2 for the second consecutive year for the first time since 1997–1998, while also having lost 11 of their last 12 games at home. Royal's touchdown was the Bears' first second half score of the season; after two games, the team was outscored 33–7 in the second half. The Bears also struggled with injuries during the game, with seven players exiting as a result: Cutler (thumb), Lamarr Houston (knee), Eddie Goldman (ankle), Adrian Amos, Bryce Callahan and Chris Prosinski (concussions), and Ka'Deem Carey (hamstring).
caption: The Bears played all of their home games at Soldier Field.
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