The Chicago Bears had a rough outing on a national stage on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings, leading to a lot of strong opinions about the team and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.

Joe Buck and Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman especially had a number of things to say about the team's offensive struggles in the broadcast booth during the game.

A lot of what they said was warranted after the team one again failed to start quickly, forcing their rookie quarterback to fight from behind with his back in the corner against a top defense all night long.

With the loss, the Bears have now dropped eight straight games and the offense continues to have no answers for how they can find or create improvement over the final three weeks of the season.

It wasn't the 2024 season many expected from Chicago and it definitely wasn't the rookie campaign Williams was hoping to have. And a disappointing debut season from a top draft pick is something Aikman knows all too well.

"I went through it, I was 0-11 as a starter and he's had a much better rookie season than I had," Aikman said on the broadcast. "[Williams] was grimacing and in enormous amount of pain. And as I watch him, you can tell that he's a defeated guy. He hasn't been through anything like this in any point in his career. And what you worry about is a rookie quarterback losing confidence."

Troy Aikman on a rough night and season for Caleb Williams.

"I was 0-11 as a starter and he's had a much better rookie season than I had."

"He was grimacing and in an enormous amount of pain. When you watch him, you can tell that he's a defeated guy." pic.twitter.com/Vv91cKVm9F

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 17, 2024

It's no secret that Williams has been beaten down time and time again this season, and everyone else was able to see what Bears' fans have been watching for weeks. This situation continues to get worse for Williams in Chicago before it starts to get better.

The offense has had multiple different issues from multiple different causes this season and it's easy to put all of the blame on the rookie but that's far from the truth. Williams is on his second head coach, second offensive play-caller, playing behind a struggling offensive line, with pass catchers who can't seem to help him out. Then, you add his own rookie struggles on top of that.

"Too many times they have multiple receivers in the same area…" – Troy Aikman on the #Bears offense just now..

— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) December 17, 2024

But when you watch the offense every week, Williams keeps getting the majority of the blame for things out of his control simply because he's trying to make a play for his team every time he touches the ball.

Just like when Aikman noted sacks are a QB stat after Williams got drilled from behind because his rookie backup left tackle making his first start got no help and beat off the edge. How is something like that on Williams?

“Sacks are a QB stat”

– Troy Aikman pic.twitter.com/qOIFdF6hA4

— Bears Nation (@BearsNationCHI) December 17, 2024

"He can't see a defender coming so I don't expect him to have eyes in the back of his head," Interim head coach Thomas Brown said bluntly in defense of his quarterback.

What Williams is currently going through in Chicago is something few rookies have had to go through during their first season and it's the own team's doing. This has been nowhere near the perfect situation for a rookie quarterback despite what was expected coming into the season.

Now, the season is lost and the team is hobbling toward the end hoping things will eventually get better on the other side. Yet, somehow, Williams' confidence still remains in his team and what the organization is doing.

"The encouraging part is us as a team being able to go through all of what's happened this year," Williams said after the game. "Coaches getting fired and all of this stuff going on, 4-10 right now. Being able to wake up, be consistent, do that every day with how it's been going is encouraging for me. It's encouraging for this team and we've got to keep going. It's been encouraging but also frustrating for myself."

Thomas Brown stands by decision to start rookie third-round pick at a key position despite struggling during his first career start

Might not have been ready for the opportunity.