Bears sit Caleb Williams, split on starting QB vs.

Journeyman Case Keenum became the second different Chicago Bears quarterback to win a game this season with a stellar performance against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.

Bears head coach Ben Johnson needs more time to decide whether he’ll try a third when the New York Jets come to Chicago for the Week 4 matchup.

“We’ll find out on Sunday,” Johnson said.

After ruling Caleb Williams out with a strained hamstring on Friday for the second game in a row, Johnson said he’s not ready to name a starter for Sunday’s game.

“I don’t necessarily know there is a right answer or a wrong answer,” Johnson said.

Johnson said his assistant coaches are split down the middle on which quarterback should start this week.

Bagent earned the No. 2 role in training camp but he said there is no push from him to unseat Keenum, who was given a game ball Monday night.

Keenum passed for 247 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns in a 27-7 victory over the Eagles after Bagent spent much of the previous week in concussion protocol.

“There’s a couple ways to think about it. Obviously, I would like everything that the football world can offer me. But then there’s also the part that I am from Shepherd University, so I have absolutely zero ego in this and nobody is a bigger cheerleader and a fan of Case Keenum than I am,” Bagent said. “I think he is the epitome of what I believe a quarterback is and is supposed to be. So it was fun to watch him play.”

The Chicago offense feels confident and Johnson said the belief in the locker room is the team is in “good shape” no matter who starts.

“Whoever they put out there, we have the utmost belief that they’re going to be able to get the job done,” running back D’Andre Swift said.

The defense provided plenty of support for the Bears on Monday, generating three takeaways in a return to the aggressive, opportunistic style that helped the unit lead the NFL in that category last season.

T.J. Edwards and Dillon Thieneman each had an interception while Xavier Woods recovered a fumble.

New York will aim to stop a two-game skid, with the defeats coming by a combined 10 points against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

Revving up the running game remains an area of emphasis for the Jets.

Breece Hall, who has rushed for just 61 yards on 29 carries after gaining 102 yards on 22 attempts in the season opener, suffered a quad injury in last Sunday’s 31-24 loss at Detroit and was ruled out for Sunday.

Braelon Allen figures to see an accelerated workload in the backfield, while Isaiah Davis could flank him. Davis’ next carry will be his first this season.

No matter the personnel, right tackle Armand Membou pledged improvement from the offensive line both in creating room to run and protecting quarterback Geno Smith.

“It starts with playing as five,” Membou said. “All five need to be on the same page and play more as one.”

Smith, who sports a 75.5% completion rate, was 31-of-37 passing for 321 yards with touchdown passes to Garrett Wilson, rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq and tight end Jeremy Ruckert against the Lions.

New York’s offense will be down not only Hall but also wide receiver Adonai Mitchell , tight end Mason Taylor and left guard Dylan Parham on Sunday. Linebacker Kiko Mauigoa was also ruled out, and Sadiq is questionable along with edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare .

On the plus side, Minkah Fitzpatrick was cleared to face the Bears, providing a boost to a secondary bracing for a challenge no matter which Chicago quarterback it tries to stop. Fitzpatrick has been inactive for the past two games.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn anticipates a unique test against Johnson, with whom he spent four seasons on Dan Campbell’s staff with the Lions. That included three seasons in which Glenn and Johnson served together as coordinators.

“We were so competitive in how we wanted to beat each other and it made both of us better,” Glenn said. “He’s a damn good coach.”

New York won the most recent meeting between the teams, defeating visiting Chicago 31-10 in Week 12 of the 2022 season.

Besides Williams, the Bears will be missing left tackle Braxton Jones , defensive lineman Shemar Turner , linebacker Noah Sewell and defensive back Kyler Gordon . Nickel back Cam Lewis is doubtful.

Field Level Media

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