Case Keenum just proved why veteran quarterbacks are a cheat code. Monday night was a masterclass. The 38-year-old didn’t just manage the game; he dismantled the Philadelphia Eagles. He threw two touchdowns and ran for one, leading Chicago to a 27-7 victory. But the real story? The veteran’s sense of humor regarding Pro Football Focus.
After the win, Keenum poked fun at the grading system. According to Sports Illustrated, the veteran quarterback joked about a play that looked like a sack but was actually wiped out by a flag. He then added, “But it was a penalty, right? Doesn’t count. That’s right. PFF may count those, I guess.”
The math behind the madness
PFF’s grades for the Bears’ offense were hard to swallow. The outlet gave Keenum an overall grade of 62.2. His passing grade sat slightly higher at 67.3. That number is actually better than the 64.0 mark PFF gave Caleb Williams in Week 1, per Sports Illustrated. It makes no sense. How can a player dominate a game like this and still get a mediocre grade?
The stats tell a different story than the analysts. Keenum finished with 247 yards and a 70.5% completion rate. He averaged 7.3 yards per attempt. He even managed a 110.8 passer rating. Against an elite defense led by Vic Fangio, he was nearly perfect. He averaged 12.4 yards per attempt when the Eagles tried to blitz him, per NFL.com.
The road to the Jets
Now the focus shifts to Week 4 against the New York Jets. Caleb Williams is still dealing with a hamstring injury. The timeline for his return is roughly three to four weeks. This leaves a massive question for head coach Ben Johnson. He won’t name a starter yet.
Johnson did note that Tyson Bagent was the No. 2 quarterback during training camp. But Keenum’s performance was too loud to ignore. The veteran is 4-0 all-time against defenses coached by Fangio. He even noted the importance of the run game, saying, “We needed him to play that well, particularly how slow we were, staying on schedule in terms of that running game there for the first three quarters, so not a surprise at all,” per NFL.com.
