The Bears had 33 yards of offense at halftime — and 36 penalty yards.
PHILADELPHIA — John Fox has argued all year that, even in losses, his Bears have played their opponent close enough to have a chance at the end.
Not any more.
The Bears showed little resistance Sunday as the Eagles — who, yes, might be the best team in football — trounced them for a 31-3 victory at Lincoln Financial Field. In a town known for its underdog boxer, the Bears could barely muster the passion to swing.
The Bears had 33 yards of offense at halftime — and 36 penalty yards.
The Eagles’ Nelson Agholor flips into the end zone Sunday. (Getty Images)
A self-proclaimed run-first team, they finished with six rushing yards, only five more than the franchise low set in 1952.
The Bears didn’t muster a first down until quarterback Mitch Trubisky found tight end Daniel Brown for a 12-yard gain about a minute into the second half — and then lost eight yards on the next play when the rookie quarterback fumbled as he was sacked.
They blew their lone scoring chance in the first half when new kicker Cairo Santos left a 54-yard try short and wide right, reminiscent of Connor Barth’s game-ending miss seven days earlier.
The half ended the only way it could, too — with former Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery catching a touchdown pass with 5 seconds to play. He celebrated by lining his teammates up in the shape of a triangle, bowling an imaginary ball and watching them fall.
It wasn’t the first time the Eagles toyed with the Bears.
Early in the second quarter, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, the presumptive NFL MVP, spun around blitzing quarterback Cre’Von LeBlanc — who believed he was rushing from a blind spot — and scrambled for 16 yards on third-and-five.
Eight plays later, after Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara held on a third down, Wentz threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor, who flipped over at the right pylon to go up 14-0.
Later, running back LeGarrette Blount hurdled Bears safety Eddie Jackson during a 22-yard run, sparking the 13-play, drive that ended with Jeffery’s touchdown.
The Bears finished their first drive of the second half with 38-yard Santos field goal.
The Eagles countered a minute-and-a-half into the fourth quarter, when cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc forced running back Jay Ajayi to fumble at the 5-yard line after a 30-yard gain. Agholor recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.
The Eagles fumbled four times Sunday and lost the other three to the Bears. Safety Malcolm Jenkins intercepted Trubisky’s pass in the first quarter, only to have it stripped by tight end Dion Sims. Receiver Tre McBride recovered it, but the Bears were forced to punt three plays later.
For the second-straight game, Trubisky was erratic, overthrowing receivers deep and leaving short throws high. The rookie went 17-for-33 for 147 yards and two interceptions, including the last pass he threw.
Wentz went 23-for-36 for 227 yards, three touchdowns and a 109.4 passer rating before being lifted for backup Nick Foles with 9:38 to play and a four-touchdown lead.
