Case Keenum throws two touchdowns as Bears beat Eagles 27-7

Case Keenum threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third score as the Chicago Bears beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-7 at Soldier Field on Monday, September 28. Starting in place of the injured Caleb Williams, Keenum helped Chicago move to 2-1 while handing Philadelphia its first loss of the season.

Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards without an interception. He added a one-yard rushing touchdown with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter, finishing a 13-play drive that kept the Eagles' offense off the field for more than eight minutes. It was his first game action since he started for Houston against Cleveland on December 24, 2023, according to the Associated Press.

An immediate contribution

Chicago put Keenum to work on its opening possession. He ended an 11-play, 66-yard drive with an eight-yard shovel pass to Luther Burden III for a touchdown. The drive took 6:13 off the clock and gave the Bears a lead they did not surrender. Burden finished with seven catches for 61 yards and the score.

The Bears led 10-7 at halftime after a Cairo Santos field goal and Jalen Hurts's one-yard touchdown run for Philadelphia as the half expired. Chicago added another Santos field goal in the third quarter before Keenum found Kalif Raymond for a 41-yard touchdown. Raymond caught six passes for 90 yards overall, giving Keenum another productive target alongside Burden.

Keenum's short run in the fourth quarter put the result beyond Philadelphia's reach. NFL.com reported that, at 38 years and 223 days old, he became the oldest Bears player to score a rushing touchdown. The outlet also said he became the second player aged 38 or older to combine at least two passing touchdowns with a rushing score in a prime-time game, following Tom Brady in 2018.

Turnovers limited Philadelphia

The Eagles gave the ball away three times. Tank Bigsby lost a fumble, and Andy Dalton and Hurts each threw an interception. Philadelphia did not take the ball away from Chicago. The Bears' defense helped turn Keenum's scoring plays into a comfortable win by denying the Eagles chances to answer in the second half.

Dalton entered in the second quarter while Hurts was checked for a concussion following a late hit near the sideline. Hurts was later cleared, according to the Associated Press and NFL.com. Dalton's pass was intercepted by rookie Dillon Thieneman in the end zone, ending a Philadelphia possession deep in Chicago territory. Linebacker T.J. Edwards intercepted Hurts late in the third quarter.

Philadelphia scored only on Hurts's run at the end of the first half. The Associated Press reported that Hurts completed 16 of 25 passes for 153 yards with an interception, while Saquon Barkley rushed for 82 yards on 15 carries. NFL.com reported that the Eagles gained just 52 net yards in the second half, when the Bears extended their three-point halftime lead to 20.

The official gamebook credits Chicago with 375 total yards to Philadelphia's 248, and 24 first downs to the Eagles' 14. The Bears held possession for 36:53, compared with 23:07 for Philadelphia. Chicago converted both of its fourth-down attempts; the Eagles converted neither of theirs. Those margins show how much of the game Chicago controlled beyond the final score.

What follows for Chicago

Williams was sidelined by a right hamstring injury, and Tyson Bagent backed up Keenum after clearing concussion protocol on Sunday, the Associated Press reported. Keenum's performance gives Chicago a result to build on after a 9-3 loss to Minnesota, but the available reports do not establish how long Williams will be out or whether Keenum or Bagent will start next time.

There are other personnel questions after the win. The Associated Press reported that Bears left tackle Braxton Jones left in the third quarter with a knee injury. Raymond was shaken up on a punt return but returned to the game. Neither report establishes whether Jones will be available for the next contest.

The Bears are scheduled to host the New York Jets on Sunday, October 4. Philadelphia, also 2-1 after Monday's result, is scheduled to host the Los Angeles Rams that day. The Eagles will seek their first win since Week 2 after a game in which their turnovers and second-half offense left them unable to keep pace with Keenum and Chicago.