ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Last week, Caleb Williams said he was on the right track in his NFL development.
“I’m exactly where I need to be and where they want me,” Williams said.
That certainly seemed to be the case on Saturday when the rookie quarterback made his NFL preseason debut in the Bears’ 33-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
Williams was as advertised during two work series. Even his one mistake – an ill-advised throw that could have gone the other way for a pick-six – was redeemed due to a flag for illegal contact.
Williams’ debut only added to the excitement and energy of this new era of Bears football.
“There’s definitely some positives there,” said head coach Matt Eberflus after the win. “We’re not going to undermine that. I feel like we have a lot of work to do as a football team and a lot to accomplish, not just Caleb. We all have to play well around him. It’s important that we continue to improve before the first game.”
The Bears still have work to do, but the latest step in their detailed plan to turn Williams into an NFL superstar was a resounding success.
Here is a testimony to celebrate the first unofficial day of a new era:
Passing offense
Williams showed all facets of his game that made him the undisputed number 1.
Talent and speed with an unusual arm? A given. Ability to use mobility to create plays both inside and outside of the structure? Yes, that’s for sure. Special throws outside the platform, especially while running? No question.
It was only 18 snaps (20 if you count penalties), but Williams was as expected in Western New York on Saturday.
“This kid is special. He’s special,” said rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze.
Williams completed 4 of 7 passes for 95 yards and a passer rating of 101.8. He also managed 13 yards on the ground on his only run.
The Bears’ passing game was in overdrive against the Bills. Williams’ three incomplete passes were the result of two drops and a miscommunication. He opened the day with a 12-yard pass to DJ Moore to move the chains on third-and-12 and followed with an impromptu flip to running back D’Andre Swift for a 42-yard gain on a screen.
The throw of the day was a 26-yard pass to Kmet with a bootleg to the right. Williams came out of the feint with speed, feinted an incoming edge rusher and threw a dart to Kmet along the sideline.
“That is his natural, God-given ability,” Swift said.
The Bears’ offensive line is still a work in progress. Right guard Nate Davis and backup Ryan Bates did not play Saturday, meaning Matt Pryor was named the starter. Right tackle Darnell Wright opened the game with a holding penalty that put them behind, and the pass defense was average overall.
There is still some work to be done to get the Bears where they want to be, but Saturday was a big positive step in the right direction.
WILLIAMS GRADE: A
Team grade: A-
Attack force
The Bears’ first offense had trouble passing the ball successfully on Saturday, especially in the red zone.
Swift carried the ball just once for 3 yards, while Khalil Herbert ran nine times for 31 yards (3.4 average).
When the Bears entered the red zone, they tried to rely on the running game, but the offensive line was unable to create gaps that would allow Herbert to make a lucrative hit.
The offense of the second and third teams did well on the ground.
Velus Jones Jr. carried the ball six times for 34 yards and a touchdown. Undrafted rookie Ian Wheeler rushed for 43 yards on five carries and scored two touchdowns.
The success in the second half did raise the score, but the performance of the regular players was not exactly praiseworthy.
Grade: C
Pass defense
The Bears’ first defense was without four regular players on Saturday, but delivered an outstanding performance in their first quarter against Bills quarterback Josh Allen and the regulars.
Allen completed just 2 of 3 passes for 22 yards. He left the field midway through the second series, making way for backup Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky moved the ball down the field toward the Bears defense, but a pass breakup by Jaylon Johnson and a deflected pass by Gervon Dexter forced Buffalo to commit to a field goal.
Without cornerbacks Kyler Gordon and Tyrique Stevenson and safety Jaquan Brisker, the Bears defense acquitted itself well in its preseason debut, forcing a three-and-out on the first possession and battling its way into the red zone to end the day.
With Montez Sweat out, the first team’s pass rush didn’t really come into its own. However, freshman Austin Booker cleaned up in the second half, finishing the game with five tackles, 2.5 sacks and three quarterback hits. Daniel Hardy also had 2.5 sacks.
It was a good showing of the Bears’ pass rush depth.
Grade: A
Run defense
While there are still some questions about the Bears’ pass rush, the run defense was in midseason form.
DeMarcus Walker and Andrew Billings stopped running back James Cook on the first play to give them a small lead. Two plays later, Dominique Robinson and Walker thwarted a third-and-1 run by Cook and forced a punt.
The Bears held the Bills to 77 rushing yards on 26 carries (3.0 average). Buffalo’s longest run was a 14-yard run by third-string quarterback Shane Buechele.
Pretty, pretty good.
Grade: A
Special teams
Rookie punter Tory Taylor did well in the windy conditions in Buffalo. Taylor’s first punt was a 48-yard punt that landed at the 6. His second punt also went 48 yards and landed at the 11.
Cairo Santos converted both field goals, but missed an extra point.
Jones Jr. botched a kick return but was able to recover the ball and gain 13 yards.
Mediocre day for Richard Hightower’s unit.
Grade: C
Coaching
The only coaching comment I have is that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s plays in the red zone on the first drive left a lot to be desired.
After Swift’s 42-yard catch-and-run on the screen, the Bears passed the ball to Herbert three times for 9 yards and settled for a field goal.
Things got better on the second trip to the red zone, but a drop from Moore and a misunderstanding between Williams and Odunze ended the drive.
The preseason is boring, so I expect it to get better.
However, Waldron showed that he intended to play to Williams’ strengths by calling several bootlegs that pushed Williams to the edge, split the field in half and made things easy for the talented rookie.
Grade: B
