Case Keenum's performance in win over Eagles should tell Bears this: Don't rush back Caleb Williams

Case Keenum turned back the clock, as the 38-year-old quarterback led the Chicago Bears to a resounding 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.

It was Keenum’s first start since Week 16 of the 2023 season, but you wouldn’t have guessed that with how well he executed head coach Ben Johnson’s offense on his way to a performance to remember with his family and the rest of the NFL looking on.

Keenum’s performance was so good that the Bears need to be told one thing (if they weren’t thinking so already): don’t rush back Caleb Williams.

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Yes, the franchise quarterback who is the Bears’ best chance to reach the Super Bowl – don’t rush him back onto the field.

Of course, this is only one performance from Keenum, who is the third-string quarterback on the Bears’ depth chart. Tyson Bagent is Williams’ usual backup, while the journeyman Keenum rounds out the depth in the room.

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However, Johnson stuck with Keenum as his starter this week in a key primetime matchup against the 2-0 Eagles, another team that is a strong candidate to come out of the NFC and make it back to the "Big Game." Bagent was cleared from concussion protocol, but he was Keenum’s backup heading into the night.

That’s how confident Johnson and the Bears were that Keenum would be able to execute the gameplan and get Chicago back on the winning track.

"Whatever happens today, I’m going to give God the glory. And hopefully it makes those kids proud," Keenum told ESPN before the game, pointing to his kids on the field prior to kickoff.

Johnson immediately started the game for Keenum with a few short passes to get his bearings, but it was clear from the opening drive that he was ready to do more than just dink and dunk his way to a win. Keenum led an 11-play drive that ended with Luther Burden III’s first touchdown catch of the season in a game that got him back on track after being quiet the first two weeks.

From there, Keenum continued to shine with well-timed passes, hitting his receivers in stride out of breaks. He was making the right pre-snap checks at the line of scrimmage, and he even made throws across the field with pressure right in his grill from the Eagles’ defense.

This wasn’t a game where Johnson tried to be extremely creative with the run game, getting D’Andre Swift and others involved to alleviate the pressure on Keenum. It was business as usual, it seemed, and it worked to hand Nick Sirianni and the Eagles their first loss of the season.

Keenum finished the game an efficient 24-of-34 for 247 yards with two touchdowns through the air, and oh yeah, his first rushing touchdown since 2019. It was the game-sealing score, as Keenum’s quarterback sneak was the last thing the Eagles thought would be coming on third-and-goal, and he dove across the goal line with a bear-sized smile on his face with his teammates celebrating around him.

This game was also further proof that Johnson remains arguably the best offensive mind in football, someone who can make anyone look good under center. But Keenum still had to execute his coach's wizardry, and he proved to be a viable option to hold down the fort and keep the offense moving while Williams recovers. With Williams dealing with an injury that’s always tricky for players in this league, there’s no reason to rush him back and risk aggravating it again.

The Bears seem to be in good hands with their 38-year-old journeyman at the helm, as they head into a matchup with the New York Jets at home in Week 4.

As for the Eagles, Jalen Hurts went 16-for-25 for 153 yards with a rushing touchdown and one interception thrown. It wasn’t a night to remember for either side of the ball, but they will need to get things going next week against the 1-2 Los Angeles Rams.

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