Case Keenum passed for two touchdowns in his first NFL start in almost three years as Chicago Bears shut down Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles for a 27-7 victory on Monday night.
Stepping in for Caleb Williams, Keenum starred completing 24 passes from 34 attempts to make 247 yards. He also scored his first rushing touchdown since 2019 on a one-yard plunge with seven minutes and 19 seconds left to play, capping a 13-play drive that took more than eight minutes off the clock.
It was Keenum’s first action since he started for Houston in a 36-22 loss to Cleveland in December 2023.
“To get a shot again like this? You dream of it,” Keenum said. “That’s why I’m still here doing this when I get knocked down.
“I got knocked down my whole career. I just keep getting up, coming to work, just keep bouncing back.”
Williams was sidelined by a right hamstring injury, and Tyson Bagent backed up Keenum after he cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol on Sunday.
“He [Keenum] knows where everyone is supposed to be on every single play and so he is really quick to recognise coverage,” Bears coach Ben Johnson said.
“He knows why we’re calling the play and what we’re looking for and if we’re not getting that he’s accelerating through it really quickly. That’s what you get when you’re 15-plus years playing that position in this league.”
Kalif Raymond had six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown as Chicago, who have won two and lost one game this season, bounced back after an ugly 9-3 loss to Minnesota.
Philadelphia, who also hold a record of 2-1 this season, turned the ball over three times and failed to record a takeaway for the third consecutive game to begin the season.
Hurts successfully threw 16 passes out of 25 attempts for 153 yards, but conceded an interception, and Saquon Barkley rushed for 82 yards from 15 carries.
“We all have to own that loss right there,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said.
“I don’t think anybody coached well. I don’t think anyone played well. It was a true team loss. And when it’s a true team loss, you know I have to look at myself first.”
Stats leaders:
Chicago Bears
Passing: Case Keenum, 24/34, 247 yards, two touchdowns
Rushing: D’Andre Swift, 20 carries, 84 yards
Receiving: Kalif Raymond, six carries, 90 yards, one touchdown
Philadelphia Eagles
Passing: Jalen Hurts, 16/25, 153 yards, one interception
Rushing: Saquon Barkley, 15 carries, 82 yards
Receiving: DeVonta Smith, six carries, 65 yards
Keenum capped Chicago’s first drive with a shovel pass to Luther Burden for an eight-yard touchdown, and he connected with Raymond open out wide on a 41-yard touchdown in the second half.
Trailing 7-0, Hurts drove Philadelphia deep into Chicago territory in the second quarter before he absorbed a late hit by linebacker D’Marco Jackson along the sideline.
Hurts was pulled off the field to be checked for a concussion, while backup Andy Dalton was intercepted by rookie Dillon Thieneman in the back of the end zone with just over six minutes to half-time.
Hurts said he was waiting for clearance to go back in when Dalton turned it over.
“I was just waiting for the thumbs up,” Hurts said. “I felt fine, we already checked it. I don’t know the extent of the process. Obviously, I wish we could have expedited things. I know I felt fine.”
Hurts scored on a quarterback sneak as time expired in the first half, but Chicago controlled the final two periods.
Hurts was picked off by linebacker TJ Edwards late in the third quarter. Edwards dropped a potential interception on third down on Philadelphia’s first drive of the second half.
Chicago finished with 24 first downs and 128 yards rushing. The Bears had 28 first downs and 281 yards on the ground in a 24-15 win at Philadelphia last season.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
