LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Two key members of the Chicago Bears’ defense —Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon — returned Friday in a 24-15 win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Before the Week 13 matchup, the last time they had played in a regular-season game together was last season, in the Week 18 finale against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen finally has an opportunity to deploy his star defensive backs in any way he sees fit, which only gives the experienced defensive play-caller options. Johnson played 33 total defensive snaps against the Eagles and Gordon 36, as both were eased back into game action.

Allen used dime packages throughout the game, a six-DB formation that featured Johnson, Gordon, Nahshon Wright, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker. The defense limited the Eagles to 15 points, 317 total yards and 4-of-12 on third-down conversions.

For in-depth insight into what it was like to play in Allen’s defense against the Eagles, Gordon broke down a key third-down play, highlighted how it is playing with Gardner-Johnson, and shared what the ceiling is for Chicago’s defense.

Entering the 2025 season, the secondary was supposed to be the Bears defense’s strength, but injuries have impacted that unit. Now, Allen is regaining some of his top players at a critical stretch of the season, which features games against the Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions.