Case Keenum got the start Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles and put together one of the best games of his 12-year NFL career. The Chicago Bears blew out the Eagles 27-7 at home, and Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions. He also scored his first rushing touchdown since 2019 and outplayed Eagles three-time Pro Bowler Jalen Hurts, who went 16 of 25 for 153 yards and one interception, along with just one rushing touchdown.
But ESPN analyst Dan Graziano emphasized on "Get Up" Tuesday morning that the win and Keenum's performance say more about what the Bears have built under Ben Johnson. "Ben Johnson would tell you that his offense is very good at getting guys open, and if you have a quarterback that can distribute the ball, that can trust in that, then you can win with him. It's not about the quarterback, it's about the team, it's about the system.
And the Bears, that's the statement they made last night," Graziano said. "Caleb Williams is a brilliant player. He'll be doing incredible things.
They don't get as far as they got last year without his heroics. But there’s more to the Bears than that, and that was the statement they made last night." More news: Justin Herbert Under Fire as Jim Harbaugh Demands He ‘Be Better’ Williams broke out last season with the Bears, Johnson's first as head coach. The former No. 1 overall pick threw for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions, along with 388 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, and took Chicago to an 11-6 record and the divisional round of the playoffs.
He also led the NFL with six fourth-quarter comebacks, developing the nickname "Iceman." But there's something to be said for a 38-year-old quarterback being thrust as the starter last minute and rolling to a 20-point win. More news: ESPN Analyst Casts Major Doubt on Drake Maye-Mike Vrabel Relationship More news: Giants Land Former First-Round QB JJ McCarthy in Blockbuster Trade Williams is still expected to miss around 3-4 weeks with his injury, reportedly a Grade 2 hamstring strain. And while Tyson Bagent began the season as the backup, it's hard to imagine Johnson benching Keenum at this point.
His next chance to build on Monday's performance would be Sunday against the New York Jets, followed by matchups against Green Bay and Atlanta, both on the road.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
