Chip Kelly learned his lesson.
One week after sending a message to his team - and the Vikings - that the Eagles were scared of return man Cordarrelle Patterson, Kelly put his team and everyone on notice that he would not make the same mistake two weeks in a row.
The Eagles kicked off to Bears returner extraordinaire Devin Hester and - surprise,surprise - tackled him.
The Birds then put their foot on the Bears' throat and never looked back in a rollicking, 54-11 blowout in front of a prime time audience.
The Eagles had nothing to play for after the Cowboys scored on the last play of their 1 o'clock game vs. the Redskins. Dallas' win meant Sunday night's game meant next to nothing for the Eagles. Next Sunday's crucial showdown in Dallas would be a winner-take-all extravaganza for the NFC East crown and a spot in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Bears had just the opposite challenge going in. They knew that if they could beat the Eagles, they would lock up the NFC Central crown. The Eagles never gave them a shot.
Count me among those stunned at what I was watching last night.
The Eagles sent a message to all those who doubted them after last week's letdown in Minnesota, in which their defense was gashed again and again.
When Kelly and the Eagles played scared.
Has a defense ever made a bigger turnaround? They hounded Jay Cutler into a miserable night, made running back Matt Forte an afterthought, and strangled the life out of the Bears early on the way to a rout.
Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy continue their personal competition for the NFL's MVP honors.
But most of all, this game belonged to their head coach, Chip Kelly.
He was questioned for several questionable decisions in Minnesota. There were no questions last night, except for perhaps how long he would keep his starters in the game.
Earlier this year, the Eagles showed problems living with the lead after getting up on teams. There was no sign of that last night. The Birds never let the Bears breathe, let along consider a comeback. The Bears looked like a team that wanted nothing than to get back on the plane and slink back to Chicago.
Chip Kelly did all that.
Now it comes down to one more game. In Dallas. In prime time, since it was announced at halftime of last night's game that the Eagles-Dallas game was being 'flexed' to prime time.
It comes down to this. For one game, who do you like, Chip Kelly or Jason Garrett?
Thought so. Playoffs, here we come.
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