Monday night’s game looked like an uphill battle earlier in the week.
The Eagles came into Chicago 2-0 and the Chicago Bears were without their dynamic quarterback and their young backup.
Starting a third-string quarterback, even at home, against a perennial playoff team is rarely a recipe for success.
But as fans are beginning to become accustomed to, Ben Johnson had other plans.
It was a familiar recipe at times, with the defense forcing three turnovers.
However, it was the passing game that carried
the load early for Chicago.
Case Keenum looked like his Houston days in college, when he set all-time NCAA passing records that still stand.
Once the Bears took a 20-7 lead, the run game got going.
All in all, it was a very fun, team win for Chicago to move to 2-1 on the season and stay above .500 without Caleb Williams.
Let’s run through it!
Stock up
Case Keenum, QB – Who says 38-years-old is old?! Not your 38-year-old author. 247 yards passing, two touchdown passes and a game-sealing rushing TD. He was making plays at all levels of the field, not just dinking and dunking. It was as perfect as you would want from a third-string QB.
Kalif Raymond, WR – Three games into the season and weapons like Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland, who would have thought 32-year-old Raymond would be their leading receiver? Six catches, 90 yards and he capped it with a 41-yard touchdown that really blew the game open to Chicago’s side.
Dillon Thieneman, S – The rookie led the Bears in tackles for the third straight game. He also notched his first career interception. He put himself in the absolute best spot, while former Bears QB Andy Dalton somehow didn’t see him.
Stock down
Rome Odunze, WR – Odunze continues to be confounding. He disappears for stretches in games, then he drops an open touchdown pass with no defenders around him and gets flagged for a false start on third-and-one near the goal line. But then he comes up with two or three big catches on a crucial drive. Here in year three, it’s time to see more consistency from the former ninth-overall pick.
Jaylon Johnson, CB – Johnson has been up and down. He finished last night’s game strong, with five tackles and a TFL. But he was getting beat and looked like he was playing from behind for much of the game. It’s fair to wonder if he’s ever going to be able to recapture his glory from a few years ago.
Sam Roush, TE – It’s often hard to pick a third player for “down” after a big win like that, especially when both sides of the ball played so well. So maybe it’s a choose-your-own-adventure here. But Roush diving on an already downed punt and causing a touchback was another rookie mistake just a week after a very rough outing against Minnesota. It’s a tough learning curve, and hopefully the rookie and fans will look back on this as a small blip on a successful career.
Who is on your up and down lists this week? Let us know in the comments.
