Case Keenum made the most of his first NFL start since December 2023, throwing two touchdown passes and scoring another on the ground as the Chicago Bears beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-7 at Soldier Field on Monday night.
The 38-year-old completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards after stepping in for Caleb Williams, who was unavailable with a right hamstring injury. Chicago moved to 2-1, while Philadelphia suffered its first loss of the season and also stands at 2-1.
Keenum had not played in an NFL game since starting for Houston against Cleveland on Christmas Eve 2023. His return supplied the decisive individual performance in a game in which Chicago’s defence repeatedly stopped an Eagles offence that finished with 248 total yards and three turnovers.
Keenum gives Chicago an assured response
Chicago had arrived after a 9-3 defeat by Minnesota, but its replacement quarterback settled quickly. Keenum ended the opening drive with an eight-yard shovel-pass touchdown to Luther Burden III, putting the Bears in front early.
Cairo Santos added a 29-yard field goal before Jalen Hurts brought Philadelphia back into the contest. Hurts scored on a quarterback sneak as the first half expired, reducing Chicago’s lead to 10-7.
The Bears regained control after the interval. Santos kicked another field goal, before Keenum found Kalif Raymond for a 41-yard touchdown. Raymond finished with six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Keenum then completed the scoring himself, rushing in from one yard out with 7:19 remaining. The 13-play drive took more than eight minutes off the clock and extended the lead to 27-7. It was his first rushing touchdown since 2019.
Bears coach Ben Johnson said Keenum’s experience helped him recognise coverages quickly and understand the purpose of the calls. That assessment was reflected in a composed display from a quarterback making his first NFL start since December 2023 and representing his eighth NFL franchise.
Philadelphia cannot recover from mistakes
Philadelphia’s only points came on Hurts’ late first-half run. The quarterback completed 16 of 25 passes for 153 yards, but threw an interception as the Eagles struggled to build sustained momentum.
Hurts briefly left the field in the second quarter for a concussion evaluation after taking a late hit near the sideline. During his absence, Andy Dalton entered for four snaps and was intercepted in the end zone by rookie Dillon Thieneman.
Hurts returned before half-time, but Chicago continued to dictate the game after the break. Linebacker TJ Edwards intercepted him late in the third quarter, while the Eagles’ three giveaways contrasted sharply with their inability to create one at the other end. According to Sky Sports and the Guardian, Philadelphia has not recorded a takeaway in any of its opening three games.
The result was especially notable because Chicago’s defence limited a previously unbeaten opponent to seven points, while Keenum converted an unexpected opportunity into a complete winning performance. Johnson’s side combined 24 first downs with 128 rushing yards, helping to keep Philadelphia’s offence off the field for long stretches.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni described the defeat as a collective failure and said he would begin by assessing his own contribution. For Philadelphia, the immediate issue was not simply the first loss, but the combination of turnovers and a lack of defensive takeaways that left little room to recover against a disciplined Bears display.
For Chicago, Keenum’s performance offered a timely answer after Williams’ injury forced a change at quarterback. The Bears did not merely survive that disruption: they controlled the final two quarters and delivered a convincing response to their Week 2 defeat.