With Caleb Williams sidelined and Tyson Bagent in concussion protocol, Ben Johnson embraces the underdog role as Chicago prepares a depleted roster for a high-stakes Monday night showdown.
The Chicago Bears are in an interesting spot heading into the Monday Night Football matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback Caleb Williams suffered a hamstring injury. It looked worse than it was, and Williams was screaming in pain on the field.
He left the game with the medical cart.
Tyson Bagent played the rest of the game for the Bears under center. Bagent finished with 54 passing yards, but the Bears couldn't score a touchdown and lost 9-3.
The good news for the Bears is that the injury wasn't as bad as it seemed on the field. Williams is expected to be out for the next 2-4 weeks.
Plus, Bagent is a reliable backup and has already proven that in his Bears tenure. In 2023, he led the team to a 2-2 record while Justin Fields recovered from an injury. He threw for 776 passing yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Then, more bad news came the Bears' way.
It was revealed that Bagent was in concussion protocol ahead of the Eagles game. This is not the kind of situation the Bears wanted to be in before facing a team like the Eagles.
Now, if Bagent can't recover in time for the game, Case Keenum is going to get the start.
It's not looking good for the Bears, and people are starting to doubt them for the upcoming game. Head coach Ben Johnson didn't seem very concerned at Wednesday's press conference.
He actually welcomed the lack of faith from the NFL world. He sees this as an opportunity for the Bears, not a curse.
The good news about Keenum or Bagent is that both are familiar with the offense. Bagent and Keenum have both had one year to learn Johnson's system.
Bagent didn't look very rattled on Sunday. He completed 5-of-9 passing attempts even though the team still lost.
For Keenum, this is not his first rodeo either. He was with the team last year and shared his veteran wisdom with Williams.
The team will respond well to either quarterback, but one thing the Bears have going for them is that neither of these guys is just some random Joe coming off the street.
Johnson is confident in his team, as he should be. This game won't be easy. That won't change, no matter who the Bears decide to start.
The Eagles are going to be a tough game for the Bears either way, whether it's Williams, Bagent, or Keenum under center.
Kickoff from Soldier Field is at 7:15 p.m. CT on ESPN and ABC.
