The Chicago Bears decided to go into Week 4 against the New York Jets. With head coach Caleb Williams still sidelined with a very real hamstring strain, head coach Ben Johnson had to choose between Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent. Bagent finished training camp No. 2 on the depth chart, but suffered a concussion in Week 2 after impressing Williams. That opened the door for Keenum to start Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles, and it turned into a magical night in which the 38-year-old’s stellar performance led the Bears to an unexpected victory.
Can Keenum really do it again? Did Bagent really deserve to lose his backup job due to injury? Johnson played his cards close to the vest all week, but by the end of the week, reports had surfaced that Bagent would be the starter.
These reports enraged Johnson. When the Bears came out on their first possession of the game, it was Keenum lined up under center with Bagent playing wide receiver. Keenum punted the ball away for a short gain, the only touchdown he had all afternoon. Bagent took over from there and the Bears outscored the Jets 23-12.
Johnson was asked why Keenum took the first snap of the game, describing it as a “ceremonial first pitch.” He basically decided to mess with the media coverage going into the week. Watch a clip of Johnson’s press conference here:
“I got all these notes saying Tyson was starting before I even made any announcements,” Johnson said. “That’s why I wanted to get Case out of there the first time.”
Reporters at the press conference were quick to point out that Johnson’s plan meant Keenum won, not Bagent. Johnson is probably a data nerd who hates the idea of winning as a QB stat more than anyone else. He immediately said it was a team win and convincing for Chicago.
Johnson’s go-ahead touchdown put an asterisk on the Bears’ victory in the history books. Per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune , the Bears would become just the third team since 1950 to win three quarters in the first four games of the season … but Keenum Bagent, not Keenum Bagent, doesn’t get credit for the win over the Jets. Johnson won’t care at all. He’s glad his team can keep the humming going with another new QB against a Jets team that’s a little tighter than expected.
Johnson is a psychopath at best. He’s been open about wanting to set the NFL scoring record this season, and while Williams’ injury could derail that, he’s still doing incredible things with this team. Some of these stats, via Biggs and the Tribune, are simply incredible. The win over the Jets wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. The Bears had more first downs (34) than the Jets total (32). Chicago won the possession battle 42:45 to 17:15. The Bears did not punt. The Jets’ 32 games are the fourth-lowest in NFL history. The Bears have played 57 more games than the Jets, the second largest margin in league history.
The Bears’ win in Week 3 with Keenum under center proved that Johnson is an elite NFL head coach early in his second season. With Bagent at QB, their win over the Jets cements Chicago as a true Super Bowl contender. The Bears aren’t perfect, but the defense has been better than expected, and it’s clear that Johnson can come up with a good game plan regardless of who plays at QB. If Williams can return healthy and regain his form as a potential top-10 quarterback, the Bears will be tied with the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC.
Johnson and Williams landing together feels too good to be true for Bears fans who have recently suffered through the Marc Trestman, John Fox and Matt Eberflus eras. This team is cooking and we have yet to see them at their best. It’s a scary thought, and that’s largely because of Johnson’s remarkable prowess as a head coach.