Rich Reacts to Case Keenum’s “Incredible Night” Leading the Bears to a MNF Win over the Eagles

Coming into Monday Night Football, nobody was sure who would start at quarterback for the Chicago Bears. By the end of the night, Case Keenum, at 38 years and 223 days old, had the whole country talking about him.

Tyson Bagent, the backup the Bears paid to be the backup, had been in the concussion protocol and missed practice before clearing over the weekend. Ben Johnson had seen enough from Keenum during the week to go with the veteran who had actually practiced. Rich put it his way: the Bears went with "somebody who was playing when New Kids on the Block was actually a thing."

It was not supposed to be easy. Rich noted that Keenum had not played in forever and was facing a Philadelphia defense that is not the part of the Eagles anybody questions. Marcus Spears had said on the show that if the Bears did not run the ball, "this thing's a wrap." There was also a bit of history at stake. In his time as an offensive coordinator and head coach, Johnson had never put a quarterback on the field who was not a first overall pick. Keenum broke that streak.

What changed Rich's outlook was the pregame interview. Keenum, he said, was present. "Not just checking a box and saying, 'Here, coach,'" Rich explained, but present the way you have to be on your wedding day, when you step into a corner and soak in what is happening. Rich imagined everything swimming around Keenum's brain, heart and gut: a couple of years removed from a backup role in an insurance commercial, young kids now old enough to remember this start, and the memory of his last nationally televised start against the Eagles, in an NFC Championship Game after the Minnesota Miracle, four quarters from a Super Bowl. And still, he looked calm and smiling.

Then the Bears came out throwing. "They start winging it with Case Keenum," Rich said, laughing. Luther Burden got involved. So did Colston Loveland, who had one catch in the first two games. The opening drive ended with a short throw to Burden inside the 10, and Burden pushed his way into the end zone for Keenum's first touchdown pass.

The run game showed up eventually, 128 yards of it, but this was not a repeat of last year's 281-yard rushing day in Philadelphia the day after Thanksgiving. The damage came through the air. Keenum finished 24 of 34 for 247 yards and two touchdowns, then vultured a rushing touchdown from D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai for a three-touchdown night. Rich, with the ultimate of respect, cast the Eagles as the Washington Generals in this Globetrotters performance. "Meadowlark Keenum."

The Eagles tried to blitz the old man. Vic Fangio sent pressure 11 times. Keenum completed all 11 of those passes for 145 yards, and both of his touchdown passes came against an extra rusher. Kalif Raymond had 90 receiving yards, Burden had 61, and Swift ran for 84, including a late 15-yarder that may have eliminated TJ from the show's guillotine fantasy league.

Chicago's defense balled out, too. Three takeaways gave the Bears their eighth game with three or more since the start of last season, the most in the NFL in that span, and they are 8-0 in those games. They are 2-1. Caleb Williams watched from the sideline, finishing the night in a robe that had Rich reaching for Thurston Howell III comparisons.

Keenum's own words after the game explained why he is still doing this. "When I get knocked down, I've been knocked down my whole career," he said. "I just keep getting up, keep coming into work. And just keep bouncing back."

"That's why you do it, man. I love that," Rich said. Three weeks into the season, he has already seen too many backups and third-stringers fail to keep the ship afloat. Keenum did. Now Rich wonders whether the Bears have to start him over Bagent against the Jets, money or no money.

He also gave credit to the man who dialed it up. Johnson, Rich said, "was in his bag," calling inside handoffs, jet sweeps and back-foot throws instead of telling his veteran to keep his hands at 10 and two. "Coaching matters, man."