Case Keenum puts on masterful performance with Caleb Williams on sidelines for MNF - USA Today
CHICAGO — One quarterback threw an interception, no touchdowns and had a QB rating of 64.2. The other was 24-of-34 passing, scoring two touchdowns with his arm and another with his legs, and finishing with a 110.8 rating.
Care to guess which one was the Super Bowl MVP two seasons ago and which one was the 38-year-old playing in his first regular-season NFL game since 2023?
Case Keenum put on one of the more masterful performances of his career on a night he and the Chicago Bears had every excuse to struggle. Pressed into service with Caleb Williams (hamstring) out and backup Tyson Bagent missing most of the week with a concussion, Keenum outplayed Jalen Hurts in the 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 28.
"Oh my gosh. Playing well any time in your career feels good," Keenum said. "To do it on 'Monday Night Football,' after you thought you weren’t ever going to play again — multiple times — golly. This is special. It’s really special. I don’t know if I’ll be able to put it into words tonight. But I’m going to enjoy it, that’s for sure."
The whole team will. The scene on the field after the game was raucous, with Williams bearhugging Keenum and the Bears celebrating as if they'd won a decisive game in January rather than one in Week 3.
But this wasn't just any early-season game. While Williams' hamstring injury isn't as severe as initially feared, there's no timeline yet for his return. At least not publicly. And after putting up 59 points in the season opener, the Bears got humbled last week against the Minnesota Vikings, losing ground in the NFC North and casting doubt on how good they really are.
This was about as decisive a response as they come.
The Bears finished with 375 yards of offense, three touchdowns and no turnovers. The defense picked off both Jalen Hurts and Andy Dalton, who stepped in for a few plays when Hurts was being checked for a concussion, and sacked Hurts twice. Aside from Hurts' 30-yard pass to DeVonta Smith, the Bears never let the Eagles break loose.
"Proud of the whole team. You get punched in the teeth like that the week before, first loss, and you're not sure how you're going to handle it or respond. These guys handled it the right way," Bears coach Ben Johnson said. "The results tonight were a reflection of the hard work they put in."
After a vagabond career that included stops in eight cities over 12 years, Keenum was ready to retire two years ago. Then Bears coach Ben Johnson called, pitching him on the idea of helping mentor Williams. Almost no one expected Keenum would see the field in an actual game, save maybe for some sentimental mop-up duty.
But he never slacked off, working in the offseason, studying film, trying to make the most of the reps he did get, all the while knowing it might all be for naught.
"You dream of it," Keenum said. "That’s why I’m still here, doing this. I’ve been knocked down my whole career. I just keep getting up and going to work. Keep bouncing back."
Williams left last week's game in the fourth quarter. Bagent finished the game, but suffered a concussion at some point. He was in the protocol until Sunday, all but ensuring Keenum would be the Bears starter.
"Fourteen-, 16-hour days. Barely saw my wife and kids. Watching film and grinding," said Keenum, who said he kept his phone on "Do Not Disturb" during the week except for his wife and Johnson.
"This week was a blast," he said, grinning.
Though Johnson expressed confidence in Keenum all week, almost no one else did. The Eagles came into "Monday Night Football" as one of the six teams still unbeaten, with an offense driven by Hurts and Saquon Barkley and a defense, according to ProFootballReference.com, was fifth-best against the passing game. They were 5.5-point favorites.
Yet from the very first series, Keenum was in control. He was 5 of 6 on that first drive, including a 16-yard pass to Sam Roush on fourth down and an 8-yard TD to Luther Burden III.
"You can tell it meant a lot to him but, at the same time, he kept his composure," Johnson said. "It would be easy for a younger player to get overstimulated. You could tell he was ready. He couldn’t wait to get out there but, at the same time, he was under control. The rest of the unit feeds off that.
"His demeanor radiated off everyone."
Keenum didn't try to do too much but he wasn't simply a game manager, either. After Philadelphia pulled within 10-7 at halftime, Keenum stepped on the gas in the third quarter. There were back-to-back 12-yard completions that set up a 48-yard field goal Cairo Santos.
On Chicago's next series, he was 4-for-4, including a 41-yard TD pass to Kalif Raymond that effectively put the game out of reach. Keenum capped the night with a TD on a quarterback sneak, his first rushing touchdown since 2019.
"Did you have to ask ChatGPT for that?" Keenum joked.
"I’ve always played with a chip on my shoulder. It’s nice to prove people wrong. I also like proving people right, like the people here," Keenum said a few minutes later, looking at the dozen or so family members and friends at the back of the interview room. "To be able to put one like that together for everybody that’s been in my corner, it means a whole lot."
Now, no one is going to be clamoring for Keenum to take Williams' job. Johnson wouldn't even commit to Keenum being the starter against the New York Jets on Sunday, Oct. 4, if Williams is still unable to play.
But plenty of teams have watched their seasons go into a tailspin after a key player gets injured. Thanks to Keenum, the Bears won't be one of them.
