Caleb Williams Struggles On Sunday Night Football, Suffers First NFL Loss

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears went toe to toe with CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans on Sunday Night Football. The former USC Trojans quarterback Williams and the Bears offense struggled, but there's light at the end of tunnel.

Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) attempts a pass during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

A Stage For Stars:

Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Chicago Bears head coach Matt Emberflus shakes hands with quarterback Caleb Williams (18) while he stretches before playing against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

There’s not a bigger regular season stage in the NFL than Sunday Night Football. The eyes of the country tune in to watch what is usually a marquee matchup or a showcase for premier talent. Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears haven’t proven enough to be considered the “marquee” game, but the former USC Trojans quarterback Williams and the Bears certainly fit the talented billing.

It’s precisely stages like Sunday Night Football that build credibility and lore for players and franchises. It’s called primetime for a reason. With a fan base as rabid as the Chicago Bears and the expectation of being the first-overall pick, it’s nearly impossible to truly live up to the expectations. 

Those expectations, at least on the surface, don’t bother the rookie quarterback. Realistically, we know he feels the pressure, but he hasn’t showed it. Especially not in a negative way on the field. Williams hit the ground running in the preseason impressing with his play, but the preseason is only dress rehearsal for the real thing.

In his rookie debut against the Titans, Williams didn’t wow anyone with his performance. The 14/29 for 83 yards and zero touchdowns or interception performance wasn’t the most dazzling debut by any means. Despite the low numbers, the Chicago Beard defense and special teams stood tall and ultimately led the team to a victory.

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Scary Sunday:

Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) and defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) attempt to sack Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) during the first quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

To go from an underwhelming performance in your debut to a Sunday Night Football road game against a playoff team led by Coach Demeco Ryans is an arduous task. That’s the pressure that comes it’s Williams’ position. Williams faced the challenge head on getting off to a solid first-half start. 12 of 15 completions for 91 yards and leading a late touchdown drive was a strong first-half performance considering the environment. 

The numbers aren’t amazing, but the poise and toughness on display was exactly what you wanted to see from a young quarterback in his second start. An issue in Williams’ first start was holding onto the ball too long, a problem many were concerned with in his pre-draft evaluation. Williams improved greatly in that area against the Texans to start the game.

The second half of the game did not quite go as planned, and the third quarter specifically was a brutal watch. While the play-calling didn’t help matters at all, Williams missed a couple of throws while releasing off his back foot. The offensive line began to crumble under the pass rush of the Texans, and Williams was sacked seven times total against the Texans' front seven. 

Under the wilting pass protection, Williams fell back on his collegiate habits. While his pocket presence and sack avoidance were on display, the level of athlete in the NFL is simply superior to what he faced in college. Two plays Williams would love to have back are interceptions where he forced the ball to smothered targets. The second one was into triple coverage after avoiding a sack. 

On the last two drives, the Chicago Bears defense gave the offense a chance to win the ballgame. The offensive line continued to get beat, but the misfires on back shoulder balls stalled one drive and ended that game on the last. The final stat line read 23 of 37 passes for 174 yards and two interceptions.

Williams showed great heart despite the beatings and miscues. These are growing pains for any rookie quarterback, but one thing that will help Caleb's development is a defense that keeps them in ball games. Despite the two turnovers, the defense kept them in the ball game. Feeling like the game is never out of reach is a boost to everyone including the playcallers. 

Slow, Steady Wins The Race:

Sep 15, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) at the line of scrimmage during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Fixing mistakes and controllable issues is a sign that Williams is on the right track from that standpoint. From game one to two he adjusted to get the ball out quicker. From game two to three, you hope to see the same in terms of correcting mistakes. Throwing the ball away and discernment between zip and touch is the next step. 

Only two starts into his career, you can see the lightbulbs going off. The talent is evident. You can also see the reliance upon old habits that he has to grow out of. As he settles down and becomes more comfortable, we could be witnessing the birthing of a star. But it’s pretty clear there’s a long way to go. 

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