Studs and duds from Bears' impressive win vs. Eagles - Bears Wire
The Chicago Bears made a statement with a 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, where third-string quarterback Case Keenum led an inspired performance to pull off an upset with starter Caleb Williams sidelined.
Everyone doubted the Bears heading into this Week 3 matchup with injuries at quarterback, but Ben Johnson showed exactly why he's a good head coach and one of the best offensive play callers in the NFL with an inspired performance. Keenum showed his veteran experience in executing this offense, whose run game wasn't at its best in the first half. Meanwhile, the defense had an outstanding outing after holding the Minnesota Vikings to nine points last week. While it looked bleak early in the game, Chicago bent but didn't break and held Philadelphia to a single touchdown all game -- a surprise Tush Push as time expired in the first half.
This was exactly the kind of game the Bears needed following last week's rough loss, where the offense, defense and special teams all executed. Following Chicago's big prime-time win over the Eagles, here are our (mostly) studs and one dud:
The 38-year-old Case Keenum was the star of the show in his first NFL start since Dec. 24, 2023, and he played a key role in Chicago upsetting the undefeated Philadelphia squad. Keenum executed Ben Johnson's offense to perfection, looking like the comfortable, experienced veteran he is. Keenum completed 24-of-34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and a 110.8 passer rating. He also added a rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter to give him three on the night.
The Bears defense built on their impressive Week 2 performance by shutting down a talented Eagles offense, and linebacker T.J. Edwards played a key role in the takeaway game. Edwards had three tackles, including one tackle for loss, and three pass breakups. But his biggest contribution came with an interception of Jalen Hurts on fourth down in the final seconds of the third quarter, which halted a promising drive for an Eagles offense held scoreless in the second half. Edwards nearly had another interception in the first half, but he came up big in Chicago's biggest game of the season to date.
For the first time in his career as an offensive play caller, Ben Johnson called a game with a backup quarterback with third-stringer Case Keenum getting the starting nod, and the results were more of the same as if his starter was in the game. Heading into Week 3, Johnson discussed how the team relished the opportunity to prove everyone wrong who doubted Chicago with starter Caleb Williams sidelined. Johnson called a heck of a game on offense, fresh off a rough showing against the Vikings, and he out-coached Nick Sirianni and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio en route to
Give it up for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who has yet to have his full cast of characters in two seasons, after a monster game for the defense against a talented Eagles offense. Chicago allowed just seven points -- a last-second Tush Push at the end of the first half being the only points -- and managed to force Jalen Hurts into mistakes that they capitalized on. The Bears totaled three takeaways -- for the second time this season -- and managed to get pressure on Hurts throughout the game. After a rough showing from the run defense in the first half, they tightened things up and made things difficult on Philadelphia.
Who would've thought that the Bears' leading receiver through three games would be Kalif Raymond, who has brought stability to a young passing game. Raymond has been a favorite target for Caleb Williams, and that was more of the same with Case Keenum under center. Raymond led the Bears with 90 yards on six receptions with seven targets, including a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Rookie Dillon Thieneman might just be the Bears' best defensive back right now, and he continued to make an impact in his third-ever NFL start. Thieneman once again led Chicago in tackles with six, including four solo. But his biggest play came with an interception of Jalen Hurts in the end zone on third-and-goal in the second quarter, which preserved a 7-0 lead at the time. It was the first interception of Thieneman's career, but it certainly won't be the last for the Bears' young rising safety.
When the Bears score 27 points on a talented Eagles defense and Chicago holds Philadelphia to just seven points, it's hard to find any true duds in this game. But, unfortunately, once again cornerback Jaylon Johnson continues to struggle in coverage for the Bears. The former Pro Bowler's production has fallen off significantly dating back to last season, and the Eagles were certainly picking on him at times.
