Bears’ QB Caleb Williams showed poise, accountability, and ‘big-time throws’ in first game under head coach Ben Johnson
It was an encouraging sight.
It was a short outing for Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in the team’s second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, but those brief 14 plays showed exactly what people needed to see from the young franchise quarterback.
In total, Williams and the majority of the first-team offense played just two drives, but the opening drive of the game was nearly a perfect one and quelled a lot of concerns about the starting unit.
Williams led the offense on a 92-yard drive and capped it off with a 36-yard touchdown by wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus with only one incompletion and one offensive penalty as the only negative plays.
“We didn’t have the best field position to get started there,” Johnson said after the game. “So I thought those guys did a really nice job of marching it down the field. Caleb made a couple big-time throws to keep that drive going and some explosive plays there. It was good to see.”
That kind of showing from Williams helped cap off a strong week where progression was evident in Johnson’s system but there’s still more work to be done before this unit is ready for Week 1’s game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.
He’s really been locked in,” Johnson said of Williams. “Anytime you’re a young player, there’s usually a couple steps forward and one step back and that’s really been the story of his training camp. He and I have been really open and honest about that as we’ve gone through. He’s had some really good practices, and he’s had a couple where it’s like, ‘That isn’t good enough, bud.’ I thought really the three days of practice we had this week and this game were the most he’s stacked up good days in a row right now. The challenge is going to be to keep pushing in that direction.”
The second-drive of the game showed some of the areas the unit still needs to get cleaned up. It was a six-play drive that went just 15 yards and ended with three straight incompletions by Williams. The final one on third-down could have been a potential chain-mover to wide receiver Rome Odunze, a play Williams took accountability for missing.
“I think on that play, everyone did right except for me,” Williams explained. “I believe on that play, I end up flipping the protection and I didn’t have full belief and that’s what it comes down to. (Buffalo) had a blitzer come in an open gap and the back picked him up perfectly, did his job. And I didn’t stand there and deliver the right ball, took a couple too many steps, retreated back and tried to gain a little ground instead of standing there and delivering the ball.”
Playing within the pocket and handling pressure continues to be something Williams is having issues dealing with, but it’s evident the personal accountability is there, which is always the first step.
Williams and Johnson still have a few more days to get these little details ironed out ahead of the regular season. When asked if the starters will play Friday in the preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, Johnson noted the decision was still up in the air.
Yet, with limited live reps and no joint practice this week, one should expect to see Williams get some more action and opportunities to show he’s continuing to move in the right direction.
Chicago Bears News
Caleb Williams shines, Tyson Bagent continues to impress, and more from the Bears preseason shutout against the Bills
A fun, high-scoring performance for Chicago.
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