MINNEAPOLIS -- Case Keenum will face Green Bay for the first time in his career Sunday afternoon. In his five years in the NFL, the biggest rivalry game Keenum can remember playing in was Rams-Seahawks. The Minnesota Vikings' rivalry with the Packers is every bit as hyped up as he expected, but the approach he's maintained each week as starting quarterback is the same as his approach in preparing for this NFC North showdown.
"I know it's a division game, so that adds more to it, but it's another game and I treat every game the same," Keenum said. "I'm not going to have anything left Sunday after the game. By 3:30, I'm going to be drained, just like I am every week."
That consistency and balance have allowed the backup quarterback to step in and guide the Vikings through a strange time. Keenum has been a constant, bringing a sense of relief to an offense dealing with injuries at every turn. From Sam Bradford to Dalvin Cook and now Stefon Diggs, who is out Sunday with a groin injury, Minnesota has been forced to ride with Keenum as the uncertainty looms.
He's looked less like a backup in recent weeks, from his on-field performance to the way he conducts himself in front of the media, speaking with command and authority. He's not acting like a player just going through the motions until the starter comes back.
It's showing up on the stat sheet, too. In four games, Keenum is fourth in the NFL in total QBR (68.2) and has yet to throw an interception. He's in the top 10 in completing passes of 15 yards or more downfield (8th), according to ESPN Stats and Info.
To the 10 teammates receiving his instructions in the huddle, there's little doubt that Keenum is capable in command.
"He's a passionate guy," left guard Jeremiah Sirles said. "He brings a lot of energy, and I think that was apparent last week when he came in and guys really rallied behind him, because he has a smile on his face. He literally looks like he's just out there having fun all the time."
Keenum aced a difficult test when he relieved Bradford late in the second quarter in Chicago. He showed what he can do when called into action in a critical moment.
He was 15-of-17 passing for 123 yards and a touchdown against a stout Bears pass-rush. He knew how to make adjustments based on where the defense had been targeting the Vikings earlier in the game. It didn't help his cause that Diggs was hurt early in the third quarter, so Keenum instead relied heavily on his running backs and tight ends to move the ball down the field.
With his accuracy and mobility, Keenum is performing beyond the level many would expect of a backup. He's gotten more comfortable game to game, as evidenced by shaving 0.35 seconds off his release time from Week 4 to Week 5. His timing and communication with the offensive line have been pivotal in maintaining Minnesota's balanced approach.
"I'm always trying to perfect my craft," Keenum said. "I'm pursuing excellence rather than perfection."
The Vikings were looking for someone with experience and the ability to find success operating with less when they signed Keenum to a free-agent deal in the offseason. He's had Bradford's first-team reps when the starter hasn't been in practice, but Keenum has learned how to make the most with a constantly changing workload and operate on the fly.
"I think a backup player has to be able to go in with the limited amount of reps and save the game, so to speak," offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. "Case has that ability."
Performing like a top-10 quarterback likely won't last throughout the season, and it shouldn't. No backup is expected to perform that well consistently for long stretches of time. Otherwise, he likely wouldn't be QB2.
But Keenum has been every bit what the Vikings need while there's still a lot of uncertainty at the position, with Bradford's return unknown and Teddy Bridgewater's eligibility to come off the physically-unable-to-perform list and return to practice on the horizon. His poise in command of the offense has to give the Vikings confidence as well. It's a trait he's recognized for by the upper echelon of quarterbacks.
"I've been around Case before, worked out with him, really enjoyed him," Aaron Rodgers said. "He's one of my favorite guys we had in the workout group for a while when he was in L.A. If he gets another opportunity, he's played well this year. He's done a really good job for them. He exudes that confidence. When he gets in there, they're not really missing a beat as far as tempo and what they're trying to do. That's what you really need -- you need that confidence that guys are going to believe in you when you get in there."