A Case for Keenum: Why He Should Remain the Starter Until Caleb Williams Returns
Happy Victory Tuesday, Bears fans! And though Victory Tuesday may be a less-frequent version of its Monday alternative, it’s often just as enjoyable. That's certainly true for the Chicago Bears, who last night produced a dominant (and much-needed) win over the Philadelphia Eagles for the second straight season, this time by a score of 27-7.
There was lots to like about the Bears’ Monday Night Football victory: 1) The defense (which started off a bit shaky) was excellent, forcing three turnovers and holding the Eagles to less than 250 total yards. 2) Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland (albeit to a lesser extent) finally broke through, with Burden leading the team in targets and receptions and Loveland securing all four of his targets (his first game with multiple catches this year). 3) The Bears led the game wire-to-wire, and controlled nearly every major statistical category; total yards, passing and rushing, time of possession, first downs, third downs, etc.
However, none of those were the best part of last night’s win. Instead, that honor belongs to Case Keenum—who, simply put, was outstanding in place of Caleb Williams.
It was Keenum’s first NFL start in almost three years, and he looked like he hadn’t missed a step; 24/34 for 247 yards and three total touchdowns (one rushing). In fact, he was so good that the question was asked of Ben Johnson (who himself deserves plenty of credit for the victory, as his playcalling and schemes were brilliant throughout the entire night) postgame—will Keenum remain the Bears’ starter in Week 4 (and beyond, if necessary)?
Chicago’s head coach was non-committal on the subject, though he did concede that “there’s a reason Tyson Bagent ended training camp as [the team’s] No. 2 quarterback”. And while that’s definitely a fair point, there are still plenty of reasons for the Bears to stick with Keenum next week.
1: Ride the Hot Hand:
Momentum is a massive factor in the success/failure of nearly every team in the NFL, whether that’s in-game or week-to-week. Right now, the Bears have tons of momentum, and it’s thanks to Keenum’s play last night. Sticking with Keenum not only allows the Bears to build off the momentum he gave the team right away, it also means that the offensive gameplan can remain the same (at least, from a playcalling/schematic perspective).
Not only that, but Keenum looked comfortable in Ben Johnson’s offense from the very first play of the game—and that was with just one week of practice. While we don’t know yet which Bears QB will take first-team reps during this week’s practices (though it’s probably a safe bet to assume that it will be both Keenum and Bagent, if for no other reason than to force the Jets to plan for two quarterbacks rather than just one), if it is Keenum, giving him a second full week of practice will allow him to learn the offense even further, and thus make him even more comfortable running it.
Not to mention, he was just flat out excellent last night. On a night in which many fans (myself included) expected the Bears to rely on the run game the way they did last year against the Eagles, it was the passing attack that sparked the victory—and not only that, but the Bears actually leaned on it (three of their first four plays form scrimmage were passes, including a play-action). Keenum was more than ready, and it showed. Against the blitz alone, the 38-year-old went a perfect 11/11 for 145 yards and two touchdowns. That’s not just impressive, that’s literally a perfect stat line.
In short, until (or unless) Keenum gives the Bears a reason not to keep playing him, there’s nothing to suggest that he can’t replicate in Week 4 the success he found last night.
2: Week 4 Won’t Require as Much From the Bears (Or From Keenum):
If they had lost last night, Keenum would almost certainly still have been named the starter for next week anyway, because it would’ve suddenly become an extremely important game for the Bears and you’d prefer to have a veteran quarterback leading a team in that situation. Fortunately, the Bears don’t have to worry about that—and that’s exactly why sticking with Keenum is the right call.
If anyone tells you they expected the Bears to throw the ball 34 times with a 38-year-old QB, who hadn’t started a game in almost three years, against a defense led by Vic Fangio, they’re lying. The Jets present not only a much easier (or at least, more favorable) situation for the Bears—regardless of who they start at quarterback—, it’s also one in which they likely won’t need as much from the position; you can’t ask/expect a quarterback Keenum’s age to throw the ball 30+ times every game, and while the Jets have a decent run defense, they still aren’t an opponent the Bears will have to be pass-happy against. The team’s reliance on the pass game last night was almost a necessity because of how they had beaten the Eagles last year (in other words, Philadelphia was likely expecting a run-heavy attack). In Week 4, the offense can come out with a much more balanced gameplan; in fact, don’t be surprised if they go run-heavy for at least a portion of the contest.
Not to mention the fact that winning last night means the Bears will have virtually no pressure on them to win come Sunday. Of course, the Jets are 1-2 (and aren’t nearly that good in reality) and the game is at home, so it’s one the Bears absolutely should win. But if they don’t, all it means is that they’re 2-2 heading into the Week 5 showdown against the Packers, rather than 3-1. Considering that Caleb Williams will hopefully be on track to return for that first game against Green Bay, that’s a perfect spot for the team to be in.
3: Keenum’s Experience Is a Valuable Asset for the Bears Until Caleb Williams Returns:
There is a chance (and unfortunately, it’s more probable than fans would like) that Caleb Williams isn’t ready to return in time for Week 5. If that is the case (no pun intended), then Keenum’s veteran presence, leadership, and experience would be the next best thing for the Monsters of the Midway.
While Tyson Bagent is a capable backup, he’s still never been asked to start a game that will have the energy and stakes of the one in Week 5—Keenum has multiple such starts (the Minneapolis Miracle, anyone?) Not to mention, he’s 2-0 against the Packers in his career, including a shutout win at Lambeau Field. Granted, both of those wins did come almost 10 years ago, but even just the fact that he has them on his resume could go a long way in calming any nerves or doubts the team may have about their chances if Williams isn’t able to play. Simply put, if Williams can't play against Green Bay, Keenum is a more than serviceable replacement given his track record against the Packers.
Of course, we don’t yet know what Chicago’s quarterback situation looks like for Week 4 (or even—at the moment—beyond that). One thing we do know? Regardless of who the starter is on Sunday, this is the best the Bears have felt about their QB room in a very long time—and their fans should be feeling the same way.
Comments