A New Hurdle for Chicago
The Chicago Bears are hitting a rough patch. After Caleb Williams went down with a hamstring injury in Week 2, the team’s quarterback situation has quickly spiraled. It isn’t a season-ending injury, but Williams will definitely be sidelined for the upcoming Monday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles. To make things more complicated, backup Tyson Bagent is currently in concussion protocol, leaving 38-year-old veteran Case Keenum as the likely starter.
For head coach Ben Johnson, this is a completely new experience. Throughout his entire career as an offensive coordinator and head coach, Johnson has never had to game-plan for a starter who wasn’t a No. 1 overall draft pick. He has been incredibly fortunate with quarterback health, having never coached a game where his QB1 was unavailable.
Pivoting the Game Plan
If Keenum gets the start against Philadelphia, he will become one of the oldest undrafted quarterbacks to start an NFL game. To survive this week, the Bears will likely rely heavily on their ground game. Despite a tough 9-3 loss last week, the Bears are still leading the league in rushing, averaging 212.5 yards per game. With D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai carrying the load, Chicago will look to exploit an Eagles defense that has struggled to stop the run early this season.
Why it matters
This is a major test for Ben Johnson’s reputation. Proving he can win a primetime game with a backup under center would cement his status as one of the league’s most adaptable young coaches.
