The Chicago Bears entered Monday night without Caleb Williams or Tyson Bagent. They left Soldier Field with a 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles anyway. That alone says something about Ben Johnson.
Case Keenum had not played in an NFL game since 2023 – The 38 year old veteran entered the season as Chicago’s third string quarterback, yet Johnson trusted him immediately against an Eagles team that came into the night 2-0 as Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score.
Johnson had to build an offense around a quarterback who brings a completely different skill set than Williams. He did exactly that, and the result was arguably the most impressive win of his young tenure in Chicago.
Johnson didn’t ask Keenum to be Caleb Williams
The biggest takeaway from Monday night wasn’t simply that Case Keenum played well. It was how Ben Johnson put him in position to play well.
Johnson opened the game with two straight pass plays, immediately showing that Chicago wasn’t going to become predictable just because its veteran quarterback was under center. The Bears eventually ran 69 offensive plays compared with 47 for Philadelphia and controlled the ball for nearly 37 minutes.
There was a schematic adjustment behind that.
According to Athlon’s Doug Farrar, the Bears had leaned heavily on 13 personnel through the first two weeks of the season. Against Philadelphia, Johnson used 11 personnel on more than half of Chicago’s plays, a shift that better suited Keenum’s strengths. Keenum’s average time to throw was just 2.25 seconds, well below the league average.
Johnson didn’t try to force the offense to look exactly like it does with Williams. He changed the offense for the quarterback actually playing.
That sounds simple, but it’s one of the biggest responsibilities of a head coach who also controls the offense. The system has to survive when circumstances change. The Chicago Bears circumstances changed dramatically.
Caleb Williams was sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Tyson Bagent had only recently cleared the concussion protocol and had not received enough preparation to start. That left Keenum, who hadn’t started an NFL game since December 2023, as the man Johnson had to trust.
The Bears needed more than a good offensive game
Ben Johnson deserves plenty of credit for the offensive performance, but this wasn’t a one man coaching victory. The Chicago Bears defense played a major role in the result…
The Bears forced three turnovers and held Philadelphia to 248 total yards. The Eagles managed only 62 yards in the second half, including three consecutive three and outs to open the third quarter. Jalen Hurts finished 16 of 25 for 153 yards and an interception. Philadelphia also committed 10 penalties.
That makes the 27-7 score more complicated than simply saying Johnson outcoached Nick Sirianni.
Dennis Allen’s defense deserves credit for making the Eagles uncomfortable, particularly after Philadelphia closed the gap to 10-7 just before halftime. The Bears responded by completely taking control after the break.
A great offensive coordinator can design a system that works. A head coach has to make that system work when the circumstances change. Johnson just showed he can make those adjustments on the fly.
And if Caleb Williams returns and the Bears’ offense eventually gets back to full strength, Monday night’s win could look even more significant. Ben Johnson is a mastermind.
Bears’ Stunning Win Over Eagles Says a Lot About Ben Johnson