Three weeks ago Case Keenum was barely on the Bears’ radar — a 38-year-old emergency option who hadn’t taken a meaningful NFL snap in more than two years. On Monday night he produced his best performance in ages against Vic Fangio’s Eagles defense and helped Chicago hand the previously unbeaten Philly team a 27-7 loss.
Making his first start since being benched on Dec. 24, 2023, Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards (his highest single-game total since 2019) and threw two touchdown passes. He also finished the game with a quarterback sneak for a score in the fourth quarter, sealing the win in his regular-season debut for the Bears.
With Caleb Williams sidelined, the expectation was that Tyson Bagent would get the start, but Bagent wasn’t cleared from concussion protocol in time, so the job fell to Keenum. Keenum praised coach Ben Johnson’s game plan and play-calling, saying the coach put him in a great position to succeed. Johnson, in turn, pointed to Keenum’s extensive experience and ability to read defenses after 15-plus years in the league, and said Fangio’s varied looks didn’t rattle him.
Keenum outplayed Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and particularly excelled against blitzes. The offense protected him well: there were no turnovers, no sacks and only two offensive penalties. Even a dropped touchdown by Rome Odunze and a failed fourth-down try didn’t dampen the night. Overall, Keenum looked like the veteran who once guided the 2017 Vikings through a magical stretch, with only a few throws into traffic marring an otherwise polished outing.
With Williams expected to miss another three to four weeks from a grade-2 hamstring strain, Johnson and his staff face a choice on who starts while Williams heals. Johnson noted the reasons Bagent finished training camp as the No. 2 quarterback and suggested the staff would discuss the best path forward, but didn’t declare that Bagent had been overtaken.
Backups have been pivotal for playoff teams in recent seasons — examples include Joe Flacco helping the Browns in 2023 and multi-start stretches from the likes of Davis Mills and Malik Willis. That theme has carried into the 2026 season, and Keenum’s performance only reinforces how important a reliable veteran or prepared backup can be. The Bears improved to 2-1 and can treat Williams’ absence as a manageable setback if Keenum or Bagent can sustain competent play over the next few weeks.
Chicago’s upcoming slate includes the Jets at home, then road games against Green Bay and Atlanta; Williams’ recovery timeline could align with the club’s Week 6 or Week 7 matchup (potentially the Thursday night game in New England). The Bears clearly value Bagent — he earned a contract extension after holding his own as an undrafted rookie and worked well behind the scenes — but he didn’t have enough time to practice before Monday’s game, which is why Keenum was prepared and started. Keenum celebrated after the victory with his family and stayed on the field to acknowledge fans, visibly thrilled by the night.
Johnson also had to adapt his play-calling to a less mobile quarterback than Williams, something he hadn’t done when a backup started previously. He joked that the offensive line needed to elevate its play without a more elusive QB, but credited Keenum for executing the plan and delivering a high-level performance. The veteran, who had been out of meaningful action for over a thousand days, played well enough that he could realistically start again in short order — and at minimum he delivered a crucial Week 3 victory.
Fan take: This game is a reminder that experience and preparedness can swing a season — when starters go down, savvy veterans or trusted backups can keep playoff hopes alive. For the NFL, it underscores the growing importance of depth and coaching adaptability; teams that prepare their second- and third-string QBs may gain a real competitive edge.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
