Before the season began, most NFL fans declared Caleb Williams the best QB of the 2024 draft class — and the Bears the best destination for a rookie. The narrative gained traction when Caleb joined the team, with many even labeling Chicago the dark horses for their QB pick. But as things stand, the Bears are 1-2 while Jayden Daniels is balling in Washington. Well, it turns out that RGIII foresaw this scenario first.
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According to Griffin, Caleb and his team are victims of the hype and expectations surrounding them this season. The analyst argued that with the Bears’ quarterback being supported by three standout wide receivers, a dynamic running back, one tight end, and a strong defense, the expectations for him to lead the team into the playoffs have been “HIGH.”
RGIII noted that this has resulted in an environment of panic in Chicago, where even an average Caleb Williams performance is being heralded as a disaster.
On the other hand, Griffin compared Jayden and the Commanders, who faced few outlandish expectations this season. This has allowed Daniels to express his game freely, and the team’s record reflects that.
For instance, Daniels, in his first three games, has recorded a whopping 91.3% completion percentage — the highest ever by a rookie. Another example is the fewer interceptions the Commanders’ QB has thrown so far, while Williams has gradually performed worse in each successive game.
For Griffin, the performances of both QBs so far are largely shaped by the narratives formed by expectations. While the Bears are putting pressure on Caleb to spearhead the team toward the Super Bowl, the Commanders aren’t asking anything from their playmaker. This has allowed Daniels to flourish.
“The Bears are ready to win now. They are just putting everything on their young QB’s arm to get it done. The Commanders can win now, but aren’t asking the World of Jayden Daniels. He is just giving it to them.”
While the season is far from finished, if the latest outing of the Bears is any indication, this might ironically turn out to be a long season for them.
Panic in Chicago
In their latest outing, the Bears faced the Indianapolis Colts in what marked a new low for the Caleb Williams-led team. On paper, this should have been an easy win against a team with a toothless offense and a 0-2 start to the season. But as things stand, the Bears lost 16-21.
Starting from Caleb himself, the QB looked like a pale shadow of his college days. Getting sacked four times and facing 31 dropbacks in a game is a stat that we would have not associated with Caleb, yet the QB is in disarray as things stand.
And to make matters worse, the Bears’ O-line is contending to be amongst the worst O-Line in the league as they have been performing poorly, making Caleb’s life even more miserable.
What about the running backs? Before the season began, D’Andre Swift was hailed as the lynchpin of the Bears’ offense. But against an under-confident Colts defense, the entire Bears offense could muster just 63 rushing yards.
As Griffin argued, the pressure is weighing the Bears down. It’s not just Caleb at this point. As the statistics point out, the entire offense is lacking the spark.
Unfortunately for the club, time is of the essence, as their next few fixtures are far from favorable. A couple more losses in a row, and their playoff hopes will be crushed.
