Caleb Williams’ NFL debut had its fair share of drama. While the team clinched a 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, Williams’ performance left fans with more questions than answers.
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The rookie quarterback’s stat line was far from impressive: 14 completions on 29 attempts for a meager 93 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.
However, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show,” found silver linings in Williams’ debut. He praised the rookie’s composure, noting his operational skills and on-field communication as positives:
“So he didn’t have the day that he wanted but all those things were good. The communications was good on the field, on the sideline, during half time. Making adjustments, and I thought he did some really good things in the 4-minute drive at the end, made some really completions during the game.”
Williams’ 55.7 passer rating told the story of a challenging first outing. Yet, history will remember him as the first No. 1 overall pick since David Carr in 2002 to win his Week 1 start.
Ironically, he also became the only rookie QB to throw for under 100 yards on 25+ attempts and still secure a win.
It’s no surprise that Williams wants to bounce back stronger in Week 2 after a debut that wasn’t the best. Stat-wise, there wasn’t much to boast about, but he did manage to avoid turnovers.
Eberflus had some advice for the rookie too, which was to build a thick skin to handle the criticism, especially when things don’t go perfectly.
Eberflus emphasizes the need for a ‘can do’ attitude
Eberflus continued his conversation with Eisen, discussing how he guides young Williams through the unique pressures of being an NFL quarterback. He emphasized that certain players, especially QBs, are under constant scrutiny, particularly during challenging times.
“We got to respond to it the right way, with a can-do attitude. Find the right adjustments, find the things we need to do better and keep improving. And understand, ‘Hey, the game’s not over till it’s over, we’re always going to be fighting till the very last end’ and he (Caleb Williams) did that on Sunday.”
Even post-game, Eberflus discussed the critical aspect of building connections with receivers for Williams. He highlighted its importance to the team’s offensive success while understanding that these relationships develop naturally during practice.
Indeed, if the Bears aim to boost their offensive output, Williams needs to strengthen his chemistry with key receivers, particularly Keenan Allen. There’s also uncertainty surrounding rookie Rome Odunze’s availability for Week 2.
So, with a challenging road game against the Texans looming, Chicago’s offense faces pressure to gel quickly.
