Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams Continues to Improve, Defeats Los Angeles Rams

Caleb Williams is growing week by week. After a couple of misfires in the first half, Williams cashed in on his opportunities in the second half, including a touchdown pass to DJ Moore, to help the Bears defeat the Rams 24-18.

Sep 29, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) greets fans after the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Chicago Bears quarterback and former USC Trojans star Caleb Williams has more expectations and pressure than any young player in the National Football League. The Bears rookie has had a seesaw beginning to his career, but the flashes of ability have been enough to keep everyone optimistic.

Chicago's defense has been a saving grace and incredibly consistent to keep them in ball games, but the offense has yet to match the consistency and certainly lacked in the scoring department. 

Some of that can be attributed to rookie woes from Williams, but the play-calling and offensive line play has been subpar, to put it kindly. The receiving corps hasn’t been poor, but the lack of communication and chemistry on downfield throws has been concerning.

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Sep 29, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) chases Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Against a 1-2 Rams team maligned by injuries on both sides of the ball, Williams and the offense was expected to make a leap and show progress even if minimally. The Bears offense did just that and did their part in a 24-18 home win over the Rams.

“I think it’s just us being on the same page and I think that started with the communication throughout the week. Us talking about the flow of a game and when we get in a rhythm, let it go” said Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. 

Williams didn’t have the most impressive stat line or performance against the Rams' defense. There were two plays before the half where he missed wide receivers DJ Moore and Rome Odunze on passes that would’ve resulted in touchdowns. Williams was also sacked three times, but two of them were honestly on him.

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Sep 29, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron chat during the first half against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Holding the ball and creating plays off-script is a strength of Williams and his play style, but the ability to know when to tap into that skill set and understand the situation has been discussed ad nauseam. Those mishaps have to be fixed going forward. No way around it.

Despite those mistakes, Williams flashed poise and toughness beyond his years as the game progressed. One thing Williams has done each week is build on his base level of knowledge. He rarely makes the same mistakes repeatedly. Even holding onto the ball, those split-second decisions will become easier with time and as he grows they’ll become second nature. 

Williams finished the game completing 17 of 23 passes for 157 yards and a beautiful touchdown pass to DJ Moore. The 106.6 passer rating is rather impressive, but the numbers aren’t the story. The fact that the critical mistake never came shows improvement. The back-breaking turnover never happened, and Williams didn’t try to throw on the Superman cape.

Another baby step was taken today and that’s all you can ask for right now. If performances like this can be the floor for him, Williams and the Chicago Bears will be formidable going forward. 

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