Halloween is a little over a month away, but the Eagles certainly put on a good show in their version of Black Monday as Chicago Bears’ 38-year-old backup quarterback Case Keenum resurrected the ghosts of Eagles’ past like Joe Webb and Taylor Heinicke.
The Eagles’ defense did a fabulous job of disguising Keenum as the next coming of Joe Montana, John Elway and Tom Brady all wrapped up into one, when he completed 24 of 34 for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns in a thorough beating of the Eagles, 27-7, at Soldier
Field on Monday night before a national TV audience.
It was Keenum’s first start since December 24, 2023. He scored his first rushing touchdown since December 22, 2019, against the New York Giants when many of the Eagles players were in high school.
It was a pure horror show for the Eagles punctuated by a lackluster offensive line, a listless effort, incompetent coaching and a lack of discipline, spearheaded by a season-high 10 penalties, which is more than what the Eagles incurred combined over their first two games, and a team that better begin to self-evaluate before this season spins out of control.
The Eagles had been getting away with many mistakes over their first two games against inferior teams because Jalen Hurts bailed them out.
There was little Hurts could do Monday night, except for run for his life again, after completing 16 of 25 for 153 yards and rushing TD.
Monday night could have been an Eagles’ showcase, a display of strength to the rest of the NFC that they are the team to beat after the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams fell this past weekend.
Instead, they blew it.
While the Delaware Valley was laughing over the amazing finish the Baltimore Ravens had over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the rest of the country is having a big belly laugh over the Philadelphia Eagles losing to Case Keenum.
Actually, it was Bears’ coach Ben Johnson who beat the Eagles. He was always one million steps ahead of Vic Fangio, who it seems opposing teams have figured out, and Nick Sirianni, who has a very talented paper team that has done little in backing that ability on the field.
This game may be a portend. It proved the Eagles, at best, could be a 10-7 or 9-8 team that barely makes the playoffs. We’ll see. With the Rams, Jacksonville, Carolina and Dallas ahead, the Eagles’ five-year postseason streak may be coming to a screeching halt.
However, no worries.
It’s less than a month before LeBron James and the 76ers begin their season. Many of the Eagles will spend their winter courtside watching them.
There was very little good, a pile of bad and an Everest of festering ugly in the Eagles’ 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears.
The Good
Hurts’ first half, completing 10 of 13 for 111 yards, hitting six different receivers and scoring on the last play of the half.
Last drive of the first half. Hurts, as he has done throughout this season, carried the Eagles to the scoreboard, completing 5 of 6 for 66 yards, and capping the 8-play, 67-yard drive with a one-yard TD sneak on the final play of the half. It saved what had to that point been an ugly first half.
Hurts’ 30-yard rope to DeVonta Smith at the Bears’ 19 with 40 seconds left in the first half.
Britain Covey’s 26-yard kickoff return after the Bears went up 10-0.
Jalyx Hunt getting good penetration in shoving Kyle Monangai back two yards for Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell to clean it up at the Eagles’ nine on first-and-goal.
Corner Quinyon Mitchell deflecting a pass on Bears’ third drive on fourth-and-goal, and coming up pull down D’Andre Swift for a two-yard loss inside of two minutes on second-and-goal at the Eagles’ 11. Mitchell later deflected away another pass on the Bears’ first drive of the second half.
The Eagles’ goal-line stop on the Bears’ third possession. It came mixed with a little luck when Rome Odunze flubbed an easy TD catch in the corner of the end zone, but helped along greatly by a Quinyon Mitchell deflection on fourth-and-goal at the Eagles’ three.
Jalen Carter nailing D’Andre Swift for a two-yard loss on a second-and-goal on the Bears’ third drive.
A good start, that quickly went bad. Rookie Makai Lemon hauling in the first play of the game for a 19-yard gain. The Eagles’ first drive kind of fizzled after that.
The Bad
Keenum completing 9 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown on his first 11 throws.
Cooper DeJean continuing to have his problems. His missed tackle onLuther Burdenon the Bears’ third possession on a second-and-12 on the last play of the first quarter.
Hurts nailed for intentional grounding on the fourth play of the Eagles’ first drive. E.J. Jenkins looked like he was in the vicinity of the ball. He wasn’t, drawing a flag. The Eagles went from a third-and-six to a third-and-16 at midfield.
Linebacker Zack Baun making a rare mistake, missing rookie tight end Sam Roush, who had no catches prior to Monday night, on a fourth-and-one at the Eagles’ 32. Roush came sliding down, Baun found him 16 yards later, after allowing Roush to slide wide open. Baun actually had a tough game. Time after time, it seemed, Keenum found the middle of the field wide open, where Baun patrols.
A sign of things to come. Safety Marcus Epps missing Luther Burden on the first play of the game for seven yards. Epps later blew a coverage when he was handed off by DeJean for a 22-yard reception to Rome Odunze late in the first half to the Eagles’ 33.
The Ugly
Sirianni and Fangio being systematically outcoached by the Bears’ Ben Johnson. The Bears picked up 24 first downs to the Eagles’ 14, 375 yards of total offense to the Eagles’ 248, and Keenum completed 24 of 34 for 247 yards alone.
The Eagles have turned the ball over five times and have no turnovers through the first three games for the first time in franchise history.
The Eagles third quarter offense. Of the 11 third-quarter drives the Eagles have had this season, they have gone three-and-out on eight of them. They have been outscored a combined 17-6 in the quarter, and have gained 95 yards and three first downs. Against Washington and Chicago, they went three-and-out on their first three drives and three-and-out on three of four drives. Against Tennessee, the Eagles went three-and-out on two of three drives. Against Chicago, the trend continued for 31 yards of offense and a first down.
Andrew Mukuba’s holding call with 9:07 to play, giving the Bears an automatic first down at the Eagles’ nine. It was the fourth time the Eagles’ secondary was flagged and the fourth time the Bears picked up a first down off an Eagles’ penalty.
The Eagles’ Moro Ojomo being coaxed offside on a fourth-and-two play with 12:48 left in the game at the Eagles’ 39. The play was typical of the night for the Eagles, who were on their way to 10 penalties. The flag gave the Bears a new set of downs, and allowed them to seal the victory on a Case Keenum 1-yard score.
The Eagles exceeded the 9 penalties combined (for 75 yards) over their first two games, with 10 flags for 61 yards against Chicago.
Mukuba, or corners Cooper DeJean or Riq Woolen, who had a horrendous game, should have picked up Kalif Raymond down the middle of the field on the 41-yard touchdown with 5:47 left in the third quarter. Woolen lined up against Raymond, then was handed off to cover motion man Luther Burden. But both DeJean and Woolen stayed with Burden, allowing Raymond to run uncovered down the middle. DeJean may have been responsible for Raymond cutting inside, while Woolen picked up the outside motion receiver Burden. Mukuba was positioned halfway to Wisconsin and nowhere to be found.
The Eagles first quarter. The Bears had 7 first downs, had the ball for 11:35, converted 3 of 5 third and fourth downs, and had 105 yards of total offense to a scant 44 for the Eagles. Keenum was 9 of 11 for 70 yards, throwing for 6 of the Bears’ 7 first downs. The Eagles were also flagged three times for 25 yards.
Andy Dalton—not good. No great revelation there. On a third-and-goal, after the Eagles made a goal line stop and charged 97 yards up the field to the Bears’ 1, Dalton blew it by going backwards and then turning over the ball when Dalton threw the ball right to Bears’ safety Dillon Thieneman in the middle of the end zone. Dalton should be cut. He’s a rare Howie Roseman mistake.
After two good games to open the season, the other side of Woolen made an appearance. He was flagged twice in the first half, a holding call and an illegal contact flag that came on a third-and-six, giving the Bears a first-and-goal at the Eagles’ six. With the exception of Mitchell, Woolen and the rest of the Eagles’ secondary also appeared to be 10 feet away from Bears’ receivers.
Right guard Tyler Steen flagged for holding on the Eagles’ second drive that wiped out Saquon Barkley’s 19-yard run. The play was to the left away from Steen, who did not have to do anything on the play but get out the way.
Ugly, ugly, ugly way to start any game. Johnson put on a classic coaching clinic over Fangio and Sirianni. It started bad, when safety Epps came up and missed Burden on the first play of the game for seven yards. Keenum went 5 for 6 for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Bears ran off 11 plays, covering 66 yards and it chewed up 6:13 off the clock. Johnson and Keenum shortened passing routes. Took everything the Eagles and Fangio gave them underneath and nibbled their way up field. The Bears converted one of two third downs and a fourth down. Keenum’s fast release on the Bears’ short routes baffled the Eagles.
