Bears Beat Eagles 27-7: Keenum, Defense Deliver

🎙 The Quick Take

Case Keenum stepped in for the injured Caleb Williams and delivered exactly what the Bears needed. He looked comfortable in Ben Johnson’s offense, made quick decisions, and avoided costly mistakes. The Bears opened with an efficient touchdown drive, capped by an underhanded scoring pass to Luther Burden III, and took a 10-7 lead into halftime.

The Eagles had opportunities, but the Bears’ defense consistently came up with answers. Andy Dalton threw a goal-line interception, and Jalen Hurts’ brief absence created another opening. Hurts returned to score before halftime, but Philadelphia managed just 52 net yards after the break. Saquon Barkley was held to nine rushing yards in the second half.

The Bears took control in the third quarter. Keenum hit Kalif Raymond for a 41-yard touchdown, and T.J. Edwards intercepted Hurts to kill another Eagles scoring chance. Keenum added a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Bears finished with a 27-7 win, outgaining Philadelphia in total yards, 375-248. More importantly, they dominated the second half on both sides of the ball. Keenum provided steady quarterback play, while the defense turned a one-score game into a comfortable victory.

🔢 The Game in Numbers

100% — Keenum’s Completion Rate vs. the Blitz
Keenum completed all of his passes when the Eagles blitzed, throwing for 145 yards and two touchdowns in those situations.

70.5% — Keenum’s Completion Rate
Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a third score on the ground.

36:53 — Time of Possession
The Bears controlled the ball for 36 minutes, a 13-minute advantage that helped dictate the game’s tempo.

24 — Bears First Downs
The Bears moved the chains 24 times compared to 14 first downs for Philadelphia, while also outperforming the Eagles on both third and fourth down.

0 — Bears Turnovers
The Bears protected the football all night while forcing three turnovers from the Eagles.

↪️ The Turning Point

There wasn’t one play or series that decided this game. The entire third quarter did.

The Eagles went three-and-out on each of their first three possessions after halftime, while the Bears added 10 points on two drives. By the time T.J. Edwards intercepted Jalen Hurts late in the quarter, the Bears had built a 20-7 lead and were firmly in control.

That interception ended any realistic chance of an Eagles comeback and gave the Bears the ball again to start the fourth quarter. The Bears didn’t just win the third quarter. They took the game away.

🏆 Player of the Game

I’ve got to give this one to veteran quarterback Case Keenum. He hadn’t started a game since 2023, had just one week to prepare, and was facing a good Eagles team on Monday Night Football. Keenum responded by completing 70% of his passes for more than 250 total yards and three touchdowns while running Ben Johnson’s offense with impressive efficiency.

The Bears didn’t need Keenum to be a superstar. They needed him to execute. He did exactly that.

🏈 Game Balls

Kalif Raymond (WR)
Another game ball for the veteran receiver, who continues to provide a reliable presence from the slot. Raymond consistently picks up important yardage and added a terrific 41-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

Luther Burden III (WR)
The second-year receiver has struggled to get going early this season, but this was a step in the right direction. Burden finished with seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.

Dillon Thieneman (S)
The rookie safety continues to pile up impressive performances. Thieneman once again led the Bears in tackles and came up with a critical end-zone interception to kill an early Eagles scoring opportunity.

T.J. Edwards (LB)
Edwards delivered an excellent all-around performance. His biggest play came late in the third quarter, when he intercepted Jalen Hurts and helped put the game firmly in the Bears’ control.

Dayo Odeyingbo (DL)
Odeyingbo is starting to make an impact. The veteran recorded a sack for the second consecutive week and continues to provide more production along the defensive line.

💲 The Stock Market

📈 Stock Up

Case Keenum (QB)
Keenum’s stock is clearly on the rise. Two questions now emerge: Does he continue to start ahead of Tyson Bagent, and does his steady play give the Bears more flexibility to avoid rushing Caleb Williams back before he’s ready?

Kalif Raymond (WR)
No surprise here. Raymond’s stock rises for the third straight week. He’s becoming a pivotal piece of the Bears’ offense and continues to make plays when his number is called.

Luther Burden III (WR)
After a quiet start to the season, Burden delivered exactly the kind of performance he needed. Seven catches, 61 yards and a touchdown should provide some momentum heading into Week 4.

Colston Loveland (TE)
Like Burden, Loveland had a slow start to the season. His numbers were modest again, but the second-year tight end is showing signs of moving in the right direction.

Dillon Thieneman (S)
The rookie just keeps making plays. Thieneman once again led the Bears in tackles and has quickly established himself as one of the most important pieces of this defense.

📉 Stock Down

Kyle Monangai (RB)
The workload was fine with 10 carries, but the production wasn’t. Monangai averaged just 3.1 yards per carry and wasn’t a major part of the game plan, despite making a few important runs.

Rome Odunze (WR)
The worry meter is starting to move. Odunze has had issues with contested catches, and this week he bobbled a potential touchdown in the end zone that ultimately contributed to a turnover on downs. The Bears need more from their former ninth overall pick.

Sam Roush (TE)
Ouch. After making some costly mistakes last week, Roush had another brutal miscue. He slipped while trying to secure a punt and down it at the 1-yard line. Instead, his leg crossed the goal line, resulting in a touchback and giving the Eagles the ball at the 20.

🧠 What We Learned

1. Case Keenum can steady the ship.
Keenum showed why having a veteran like him matters. If Caleb Williams has to miss time at an important point in the season, the Bears have a quarterback capable of keeping the offense on schedule and calming things down. Tyson Bagent may offer more explosiveness with his legs, but Keenum brings experience and stability.

2. Rome Odunze needs to show he fits.
It’s still early, but Odunze is starting to raise questions about his long-term fit in Ben Johnson’s offense. Johnson appears to have a specific profile he wants from his receivers, and Odunze hasn’t consistently shown the contested-catch ability needed to maximize his opportunities. Unlike D.J. Moore, Odunze is still on his rookie contract, so money isn’t the immediate issue. But if the fit doesn’t improve, the Bears could eventually have a decision to make.

3. Dillon Thieneman is becoming a defensive strength.
The rookie safety continues to make plays all over the field, both against the pass and in run support. He has quickly become one of the Bears’ most reliable defenders. It will be interesting to see what this secondary looks like once Coby Bryant returns, but the bigger question right now is up front. The Bears need someone from the front seven to start making more plays against the run. A rookie safety shouldn’t have to lead the team in tackles every week.

🤯 Wait…What?

The Bears found a way to completely botch a goal-line opportunity that nearly cost them some serious momentum.

Early in the second quarter, the Bears faced first-and-goal from the 6-yard line. Colston Loveland initially appeared to score, but he failed to extend the ball over the goal line and the touchdown was overturned. On the next play, Cole Kmet whiffed on his block of Jalen Carter, who stuffed D’Andre Swift for a two-yard loss.

Then came the real gut punch. Rome Odunze bobbled a pass in the back of the end zone on third down. The Bears followed that with an incomplete pass on fourth down, turning a first-and-goal opportunity into zero points.

Four straight opportunities to finish the drive. Four straight failures. Against a team as talented as the Eagles, the Bears can’t afford to leave points on the field like that.

⚠️ The Quietly Important Play

The Bears’ opening touchdown got plenty of attention. The play that quietly changed the game came a little later.

After the teams traded punts and turnovers, the Eagles appeared to be settling in. They drove 95 yards on 12 plays immediately following the Bears’ goal-line failure. Then, near the sideline, D’Marco Jackson was flagged for a late hit on Jalen Hurts. It was a bang-bang play, with Hurts barely getting a foot on the white before Jackson made contact.

The hit sent Hurts to the medical tent for a concussion evaluation. Four plays later, with Hurts out, former Bear Andy Dalton threw an interception to Dillon Thieneman in the end zone.

The Eagles had just marched 95 yards and looked ready to turn their long drive into points. Instead, the Bears came away with the football and the momentum. Jackson’s penalty wasn’t the reason the Eagles turned it over, but the sequence was a significant swing in the game.

💬 What We’ll Be Talking About

The Wily Veteran or the Gritty Young Athlete?

Case Keenum or Tyson Bagent. That’s going to be the question all week as the Bears decide who should start next week in place of the injured Caleb Williams.

Bagent was the No. 2 quarterback coming into the season. But he missed this game with a concussion, opening the door for Keenum to make his first start since 2023. Keenum didn’t just fill in. He stepped up, ran the offense efficiently, and gave the Bears a reason to consider keeping him under center.

Now the Bears have a decision to make. Do they go with Keenum’s experience and steady play, or turn back to Bagent’s youth and mobility? That debate will dominate the week.

🔮 Looking Ahead

The Bears get one more home game in this three-game stretch when the New York Jets come to town. It also sets up a reunion between two former Detroit Lions coordinators: Bears head coach Ben Johnson, who served as Dan Campbell’s offensive coordinator, and Jets head coach Aaron Glenn, who coordinated Detroit’s defense.

The Jets are still searching for consistency at 1-2. Their offense ranks around the middle of the pack, but their defense has been the strength. Glenn’s unit ranks second in the NFL in yards allowed per game, trailing only the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, and is allowing about 20 points per game.

The Bears should have opportunities to move the ball, but they’ll have to earn them. The Jets can get after the quarterback and have shown they can make life difficult for opposing offenses. After a strong win over Philadelphia, the Bears will have another chance to prove they can carry that momentum into Week 4.