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Associated Press 10y

Eagles rout Bears 54-11

NFL, Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants

PHILADELPHIA -- Playing a team that had little on the line, the Chicago Bears hardly looked worthy of a playoff spot.

Nick Foles threw two touchdown passes, LeSean McCoy ran for two scores and the Philadelphia Eagles routed the Bears 54-11 on Sunday night in a matchup of first-place teams with opposite stakes.

"We got beat down," Jay Cutler said.

The Bears (8-7) came in needing a win to clinch the NFC North and secure the No. 3 seed while Philadelphia was just trying to stay healthy. But the Eagles (9-6) played like the team trying to lock up a playoff berth.

Now, the Bears must tie or beat the Packers (7-7-1) at home next week to win the North.

"Our guys have gone out there every week and they play to win," Bears coach Marc Trestman said. "There was no doubt in our minds we were prepared to do that. But we didn't get it done."

Chicago's loss sets up two win-or-go-home games for NFC division crowns next week.

The Eagles have to tie or beat the Cowboys (8-7) at Dallas next Sunday night to win the NFC East and complete a worst-to-first season under rookie coach Chip Kelly. Once Dallas rallied to beat Washington earlier in the day, the Eagles knew they were only playing for a No. 3 seed, that is, if they win the division.

Still, Kelly played all his guys.

"We're from Philadelphia and we fight," Kelly said. "If there's a game on, we're playing."

The Bears had a chance to secure a division title because Green Bay lost to Pittsburgh and the New York Giants eliminated Detroit from playoff contention. Both of those games were decided shortly before kickoff, though players insisted it wasn't a distraction.

"We knew our situation going into the game," Cutler said. "All that other stuff dies away pretty quickly."

Cutler was 20 of 35 for 222 yards, one TD and one interception that was returned 54 yards for a score by Brandon Boykin. Matt Forte ran for just 29 yards and Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery got most of their 10 combined catches when the game was out of reach.

"I thought we had a good game plan," Cutler said. "We had good practices this week. Obviously we didn't play like it."

The Eagles dominated from the start.

Trent Cole sacked Cutler to force a three-and-out on Chicago's first possession, and the Eagles went right down the field and scored when Foles hit Riley Cooper going across the back of the end zone on a 5-yard pass.

Bradley Fletcher then forced Devin Hester to fumble after a 36-yard kickoff return and Cary Williams recovered at the Bears 39. Foles connected with Zach Ertz for 27 yards and McCoy ran in from the 1 to make it 14-0.

Foles tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Brent Celek to make it 21-0 in the first.

"We knew we had to get a win to win the division," defensive end Julius Peppers said. "We're going to have to get a win, so it's not like we're going out there (wondering) what else is happening around the league. We've got to take care of ourselves, we have to win."

Cedric Thornton tackled Forte in the end zone for a safety and a 26-3 lead in the third quarter. McCoy ran in from the 1 to make it 33-3.

Chris Polk had a 10-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and Bryce Brown had a 65-yard TD run to finish the scoring.

Chicago's only TD came when Cutler threw a 6-yard pass to Marshall on the final play of the third quarter.

Bears seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs returned to the lineup after missing seven games because of a fractured shoulder. He wasn't much help.

The Eagles racked up 514 yards.

NOTES: Cole had three of Philadelphia's five sacks on Cutler, who hadn't gone down more than three times in a game previously this season. ... Bears FS Chris Conte left in the first quarter after sustaining a concussion.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org

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