A long-awaited debut for Caleb Williams finally arrived, and it went as many Chicago fans had anticipated. In a brief appearance, the former Trojans star completed 4 out of 7 attempts for 95 yards with a passer rating of 101.8, adding 13 more yards on his sole rushing attempt. It was no surprise, then, when fans on social media began comparing his debut to that of Justin Fields from last year.
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One ‘X’ user, for instance, was quite frustrated that Caleb’s first showing led to comparisons suggesting he was superior to Fields, despite the latter having a stronger outing.
In his first preseason game against the Dolphins, Fields completed 14 of 20 passes for 142 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also showcased his rushing ability, gaining 33 yards on five carries and adding another touchdown.
I see alot of Caleb Williams praise over preason vs 2nd stringers saying he was so much better than Justin. Meanwhile Rookie Fields did this…#Bears Preseason Debut:
14-for-20, 142 Passing Yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
5 Rushes, 33 Yards, 1 TD pic.twitter.com/BIKTkQXtLO— The Woke Sports Fan (@TheMostEerned) August 10, 2024
Coming out of college, Justin was an A++ QB with an overall prospect rating of 92.1 out of 100, which is better than Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye. Brimming with potential, the Bears traded up to the 11th slot to draft the QB, who displayed great athleticism and an explosive deep ball.
He was expected to become a starter after sitting out two seasons; however, the franchise accelerated that timeline by thrusting him into the role in his debut season. He started 10 games that year.
Caleb, on the other hand, is a generational prospect, the best QB since Andrew Luck. He is a guaranteed starter from the get-go.
So, it wasn’t surprising at all that the Bears drafted him first overall. In his debut game this week, Caleb showcased his playmaking abilities, including a well-timed throw in a tight window to DJ Moore, which earned them their 1st first down of the game.
Caleb faced pressure in the pocket. But rather than panicking, he released the ball quickly, throwing a screen to D’Andre Swift for a 42-yard gain. But his best play came on his second drive when he scrambled out of pocket after faking a handoff and scrambled until he found space to deliver a perfect dart to Cole Kmet for a 26-yard gain.
Not very far from Highmark Stadium, Fields too, made his preseason debut for his new team: the Steelers. However, it wasn’t the outing that he would have wanted. Pittsburgh lost the game 20-12. The former Buckeye played in three series, completing 5-6 passes for 67 yards.
Fields’ performance was marred by two early fumbled snaps and a couple of sacks.
Looks like problems that plagued him during his time in Chicago are still part of his game. This reinforces the Bears’ decision to select Caleb, as it appears Fields wasn’t the guy who could have taken them back to the winning ways.
Caleb gives Bears something Fields couldn’t
It looks like the sun is finally shining in the Windy City. Days of gloom and doom are behind them now as the Bears finally have the quarterback they need to escape the rut they’ve been in for the past 15 years. Everything is falling into place, and Caleb, as everyone believes, could be the final piece of that puzzle.
Caleb brings a level of ball security that Fields never had. The former Buckeye fumbled the ball 38 times in three seasons. He was slow to get the ball out and left the clean pocket at a rate of 7.8%, a problem he carried over from college.
The 2022 Heisman winner, on the other hand, scrambled out of a clean pocket at a rate of only 3%. His limited preseason game tape reveals his poise under pressure.
The Bears appear to be a formidable unit this season. Their quarterback enjoys a wealth of talent, with playmakers like Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, and Rome Odunze at his disposal. While he still requires time to adapt to the NFL’s accelerated pace, many Chicagoans believe he’s on the right path.
Caleb Williams might be the guy to finally get them their first playoff win since 2010.
