Skip to main content
Bear Digest

Why the Bears' Timing With QB Injuries Really Couldn't Be Any Worse

This could be the worst possible point in this year's Bears schedule for them to be without their starting quarterback and his backup.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams scrambles against the Philadelphia Eagles during last year's Bears win at Lincoln Financial Field.
Caleb Williams scrambles against the Philadelphia Eagles during last year's Bears win at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In this story:

Chicago Bears

The Bears are touting how they've prepared their offense all year for the eventuality they face Monday night, the potential disaster that can result from using the third-string quarterback in the NFL.

Offensive coordinator Press Taylor and Bears receivers described this in a way to make everyone feel a little more confident in Case Keenum's ability, with Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent watching practices as they prepare to face Philadelphia.

"The beauty of it is, all three of the quarterbacks, Case, Caleb and Tyson, have all been here since Day 1," Taylor said. "A lot of these skill guys, too, that we’ve had, they’re very familiar with all these guys. We mix and match throughout training camp, throughout spring. We have competitive plays within practice where Tyson, Case, whoever it is (that) is leading the (No.) 1 offense through a certain number of plays or something. Or throwing with those guys, they get mixed in in seven-on-(seven).

"So I think all our guys are very comfortable. The skill guys are very comfortable catching the ball from anybody, understanding the differences of each one, and how that relates to them catching the ball."

It sounds wonderful, except for the fact when they do this they are not facing Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and the Eagles defensive front. The situation Monday night is made to order for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Irony of the Bears' plight

There is an irony involved. When Ben Johnson came to Chicago, one of the big questions he faced was how he could mold his offense to suit a mobile quarterback after it had functioned so well with pocket passer Jared Goff. They've done it perfectly. Without a mobile, healthy Williams, and to some degree Bagent as well, the Bears on offense are no longer the moving target so tough for even the best defenses to hit.

When they're facing a defensive line that doesn't need blitzing to get to the passer, and the passer is relatively immobile as most 38-year-old quarterbacks would be, everything must be done perfectly for the offense to work.

"Well, I just think operationally, being super sound, guys being where they need to be," tight end Cole Kmet said. "Obviously, Caleb just has the ability to to make guys miss in the backfield, or make a play call that's not so advantageous for a defense into a great play call because of what he’s able to do with his legs, and maybe with some other guys you just don't get that type of dynamic ability.

"So it's going to be on us as pass catchers, in the run game being on point, being at our spots and landmarks on time, that'll help with Case getting the ball out to us and running the ball."

The Bears haven't exactly been on their P's and Q's at this point. They've been struggling with this on offense as their penalties pile up. Their deodorant has always been Williams' mobility, and that's gone.

Expect tough sledding

Not fearing this, Fangio can be expected to be more willing to pressure than he normally is. They might even blitz a few times and putting seven or eight in the box to shut down the running game should be expected. After all, if you can't challenge the arm of a 38-year-old quarterback who hasn't played since 2023, who can you challenge?

The running game will be under extreme pressure to produce and the Eagles will be focusing intensely on stopping this, after last year's debacle when they gave up 281 rushing yards to the Bears. The Bears had 47 rushing attempts in the game and Williams only threw for 144 yards, so they can anticipate this is going to get shut down first.

The Eagles even got a good blueprint for how to stop Johnson's rushing attack from the Vikings just last week. The Bears did have 134 yards rushing but 42 of those came from Williams' rushing. Of course, he's not available and a 38-year-old passer is.

Taylor described what's needed to face your average Fangio defense on game day.

“You're going to have to be patient," he said. "You're not going to get these big, long explosives the way they play in the shell; the way everything starts out of the shell. They just do a great job playing a variety of different fronts and techniques. Ultimately, to try to do the same idea at the end of the day; limit the explosives and make you go the long, hard way.

"It's hard to go 14, 15 plays and score on a drive, that's kind of what they force you to do the way they play. And then they've got really, really good players too.”

A 38-year-old QB can be patient, except when the heat is on because the running game is shut down.

The Bears are facing the worst possible situation on offense this week because of these two ill-timed QB injuries, and it might require a defensive effort like they had last week against Minnesota simply to give them a shot.

Of course, they're facing Jalen Hurts and not the backup Eagles QB like they did last week with the Vikings.

Sign Up For the Bears Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Chicago Bears Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

Home/News