Quarterback Decisions for the Bears Against the Jets

The Chicago Bears faced an important quarterback decision as they prepared for their Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets. With starting quarterback Caleb Williams still out due to a significant hamstring strain, head coach Ben Johnson had to decide between Case Keenum and Tyson Bagent. Bagent had begun the season as the backup but sustained a concussion after stepping in for Williams in Week 2, which allowed Keenum to start in the following game against the Philadelphia Eagles—where he performed spectacularly, leading the Bears to a surprising victory.

There were questions floating around: could Keenum replicate that success? And was it fair for Bagent to lose his backup spot due to an injury? Johnson kept his plans under wraps throughout the week. However, by the end of it, rumors were circulating that Bagent would actually be the starter.

This news didn’t sit well with Johnson. When the Bears took the field for their first offensive play, Keenum was under center while Bagent had switched to wide receiver. Keenum handed the ball off for a minimal gain, and that turned out to be his only snap of the day. After that, Bagent led the team, and the Bears clinched a solid win against the Jets with a score of 23-12.

When asked why Keenum took that first snap, Johnson referred to it as a “ceremonial first pitch.” It seems he decided to throw the media a curveball to counteract those prior reports. He explained, “I got all these memos saying Tyson was starting before I ever made an announcement, so I wanted to get Case out there first time.”

The reporters picked up quickly on the implications of Johnson’s strategy: it meant Keenum, not Bagent, would officially earn the win. Johnson, a statistics buff who perhaps dislikes the idea of awarding wins as a quarterback stat, immediately labeled it a team victory—an emphatic one for Chicago.

Still, this tactic put a little asterisk next to the Bears’ win. According to reports, the Bears could have become the third team since 1950 to have three quarterbacks win within the first four games of the season, though Keenum ended up with the credit for the Jets game instead of Bagent. Yet, Johnson likely isn’t too concerned about that particular detail; he’s just glad the team could keep performing with yet another new quarterback facing an unexpectedly challenging Jets team.

I have to say, Johnson’s personality is intriguing. He’s openly stated his ambition to break NFL scoring records this season, and while Williams’ injury could hinder that, he’s still orchestrating some incredible performances from the team. Some of the stats coming out of the game are just mind-blowing. The win against the Jets wasn’t as close as the final score suggested; the Bears had 34 first downs compared to the Jets’ total of 32 plays. The time of possession heavily favored Chicago at 42:45 to 17:15, and remarkably, the Bears didn’t even punt. Plus, the Jets’ total of 32 plays marked one of the lowest totals in league history, with the Bears outpacing them by 57 plays—just staggering!

With Keenum leading the team to victory in Week 3, it has already established Johnson as an elite head coach early in his second season. Winning against the Jets with Bagent at quarterback seems to position Chicago as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Sure, the team has its flaws, but the defense has exceeded expectations, and it’s evident that Johnson can devise effective game plans, regardless of who’s at quarterback. If Williams returns healthy and regains his form as a potential top-10 quarterback, the Bears could compete with teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC.

For Bears fans who have endured the previous coaching regimes, pairing Johnson with Williams feels almost too good to be true. This team is moving in the right direction, and it’s exciting to think that they haven’t even reached their peak yet. That’s an intimidating thought, and it’s a testament to Johnson’s impressive skills as a head coach.