Case Keenum had waited nearly three years to start another NFL game. On Monday night, with Caleb Williams sidelined by a hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent recovering from a concussion, the 38-year-old made that wait look like preparation. He threw two touchdowns, ran for a third and led the Chicago Bears to a 27-7 win over the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.
Chicago gave Keenum a chance to settle in immediately. He completed five of six passes on the opening drive and found Luther Burden III for a touchdown. By the end of the night, he had completed 24 of 34 throws for 247 yards without an interception. His 41-yard scoring pass to Kalif Raymond gave the Bears room to breathe, and his one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter finished a long drive that drained more than eight minutes from the clock.
The defense made Keenum’s night easier as the game went on.
The Philadelphia Eagles trailed only 10-7 at halftime after Jalen Hurts returned from a concussion evaluation and scored on a quarterback sneak. The Eagles never scored again. Chicago held them to 52 net yards in the second half and forced three turnovers overall, including an end-zone interception by rookie safety Dillon Thieneman on Andy Dalton’s lone pass attempt while Hurts was out.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards picked off Hurts on fourth down late in the third quarter, cutting short another Philadelphia possession. The Eagles also hurt themselves with 10 penalties and finished the night without a takeaway. What began as a close game became a comfortable Chicago win.
Both teams are now 2-1, but the result gives the Bears something more than a better record: proof that their offense can move with Keenum under center while Williams recovers.
