Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams Breaks Franchise Rookie Records In Victory Over Jaguars

In an emphatic 35-16 Chicago Bears' victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams set multiple franchise rookie records with his four-touchdown performance. Williams rose above in a duel against fellow number-one overall pick and Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Making franchise history seems to be a trend for former USC Trojans and current Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. After a monster day, Williams is up to nine passing touchdowns and has already tied the Chicago Bears rookie record for passing touchdowns in just six starts. Williams also became the first Bears rookie quarterback since 1999 to have four passing touchdowns in a game. The Bears dominated the Jags by the score of 35-16.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is the most heralded NFL quarterback prospect since Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Williams won the Heisman Trophy at USC, and Lawrence won the national championship at Clemson. They are both "golden boys" and have been considered future franchise players. Both quarterbacks were No. 1 overall picks with as much buzz surrounding them as any players in recent memory. 

On the other side of the pond in London, the two quarterbacks faced off in what was the crossroads game for both franchises. The Bears came into the game at 3-2 with nothing but positive momentum. The Jaguars came into the contest 1-4, fighting for their season. With jobs potentially on the line, this was in essence a must-win game for the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

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Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Williams welcomes these types of stages. He revels in it. As he did so often in college, Williams took a moment and delivered. In the first half alone, Williams was 12/15 for 128 yards and two touchdowns, adding 56 yards on four rushing attempts. Williams didn’t let off the gas in the second half and remained dialed in. 

Caleb finished the game 23/29 for 226 yards four passing touchdowns and one interception. With a 124.4 passer rating, Williams became the first Bears rookie to have three consecutive 100-plus passer ratings. 

Williams’ command of the offense is striking to be only six games in. An early third-quarter play summarizes how comfortable the rookie is running the show. After the Bears defense forced and recovered a fumble to start the second half, the Bears offense found themselves in a third-down-and-eight situation. 

Williams saw a defensive indicator with eight seconds left on the play clock, went to the line, adjusted the protection call, got back in position, and got the snap off as the clock was reaching zero. He then hit wide receiver Keenan Allen over the middle for a first down. Statistically, he’s been impressive, but it’s his calmness in operation that stands out most.

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Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) carries the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The kid is in his sixth start, and he's put three consecutive standout performances together. He’s seeing the field remarkably well as he completed passes to eight different receivers on 23 completions. It’s been reiterated before, but he doesn’t make the same mistakes twice. Beyond the hype, there isn’t much more to ask of a rookie quarterback. 

Again, there are going to be subpar performances from Williams in the future. That’s just the game of football. It would be naive to let the trajectory he’s clearly on override the fact that there’s still a ton of room for improvement. Regardless, the Chicago Bears are 4-2, and Caleb Williams is going to continue to obliterate the Bears’ rookie quarterback records.

And that’s damn well something to be excited about. 

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