Ben Johnson’s immediate reaction to Case Keenum’s Bears heroics

Chicago Bears quarterback Case Keenum entered Monday Night Football facing a daunting task. Come off the bench as third-string quarterback and earn a victory over the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.

Keenum didn’t flinch from the challenge, ultimately leading the Bears to a 27-7 win. He completed 24-of-34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He added another score with his legs.

Week 3 marked the first time Keenum had appeared in an NFL game since 2023. He was buried on the depth chart behind Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent, expected to operate more as a coach than pass thrower. But when his number was called, Keenum proved he had plenty of gas left in the tank.

Head coach Ben Johnson couldn’t have imagined the performance his QB3 put on. But he wasn’t shocked to see Keenum shine.

Ben Johnson’s immediate Case Keenum take 

At Sunday’s quarterback meeting, Johnson admits Keenum stole the show. He was poised and confident, pointing out areas of strength. That preparation manifested on the field in a performance Johnson won’t soon forget, via the head coach’s postgame press conference.

“It’s all about Case Keenum and what he was able to do here tonight,” Johnson said. “He did an extraordinary job. When the run game isn’t going, as a play caller, being able to lean into the passing game and knowing that our guys are going to protect for him, he’s going to go to the right guy in time, take care of the football, good decisions. He played really efficient football. Couldn’t be more proud of him for that.”

“Not surprised at all,” he continued. “He tackled everything this week with enthusiasm. The guys really responded to how he was approaching it. They knew going into it, we’ve got one of the best quarterback rooms in the NFL. Tonight was a reflection of that.”

Johnson didn’t ignore the context of starting for Keenum. At 38-years-old and as QB3, there was no guarantee he would see the field. Now, he had at least one more shot to be a starting NFL quarterback. Still, Johnson acknowledges that Keenum wasn’t blinded by the bright lights.

“You could tell it meant a lot to him, but at the same time he kept his composure,” the head coach said. “It’d be easier for a younger player to get over excited. You could tell he was ready and couldn’t wait to get out there. At the same time, under control. The rest of the unit feeds off of that. His demeanor really radiated with everybody. He’s always positive and the guys love that.”

The Bears had their backs up against the wall and put all of their eggs in Keenum’s basket. That plan worked to perfection, as Chicago gained momentum back and moved to 2-1.

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