Bear Digest

Bears Look to Improve All Aspects of Offense with Key Target Back

Caleb Williams gets back a needed target with Keenan Allen back at practice but he has much more to learn, such as checking out of goal line plays when necessary.

Gene Chamberlain

Colts defensive end Tyquan Lewis misses an attempt at tackling Caleb Williams as the Bears QB throws on the run in Sunday's loss.
Colts defensive end Tyquan Lewis misses an attempt at tackling Caleb Williams as the Bears QB throws on the run in Sunday's loss. / Christine Tannous USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
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At least the Bears don't have to worry about whether Shane Waldron's attack is too complicated for Caleb Williams.

He's already experienced an offense more voluminous.

"Give and take, we probably ran more plays in college," Williams said.

The Bears actually ran more plays on the field Sunday than any time this century but it got them a loss. They think the offense is coming along, though, and Williams knows it can't hurt to have a vital cog back on Sunday.

Keenan Allen practiced on a limited basis and the Bears could have their Big Three receivers back on the field for the first time since the end of the opener if the veteran free agent acquisition is beyond his plantar fasciitis.

"Yeah, it's great," Williams said. "I mean to have a guy obviously as we know, Keenan Allen back, it's gonna be great for our offense. It's just something else that the defense has to worry about throughout this week (preparing) and then obviously on game day.

"And so it's gonna be great for us. His special talent of getting open in a phone booth is gonna be great for us."

Williams could have used that skill in the middle of the field Sunday to avoid some of the four sacks he took, or to aim a rushed pass at someone else. He threw two interceptions despite a Bears rookie record 363 yards passing, and the turnovers decided it.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus see improvement in Williams at getting the ball away and where to target in relation to the pressure he receives on a given play.

"It's a work in progress," Eberflus said. "It's not totally all the way there after the three games. But it's getting better.

"I do think that last week was way improved in terms of the whole operation, in terms of protection, in terms of in and out of the huddle, all the things that go along with basic operation. That's improved and he's gonna continue to improve. We're working through that and we want to see some big improvement this week, too."

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The full offense seems to be pointing to better things, but time doesn't allow for gradual improvement now. The time for that came in preseason, even for rookie QBs.

"I think we're constantly getting better," Williams said. "I think there's a lot of new as we all know—wide receivers, running backs, quarterback, the offensive linemen and all these different parts and things like that. Us constantly having the encouragement mindset, but also the positivity that we see on the actual film, if you actually watch it and not get into all the emotions of the game.

"The positivity that we have and the growth, the slow growth that we’re having—yes we do need to get it going a little bit more efficiently than we are—but the growth and positivity that we have within the game film that we've seen and things like that over these past couple of weeks."

The Bears had their first 100-yard receiving game Sunday when rookie Rome Odunze hit 112 yards on six catches. Williams had his first two TD passes. There are positive results but just not enough efficiency yet.

"The patience is still there," wide receiver DJ Moore said. "It's always going to be there. There's growing pains throughout a long season. You can go up two games and then go down two games. It's the NFL. Everybody gets paid to play this game and do it at a high level."

Once they start to hit more bigger gains in the passing game, Moore believes the whole field can open up for Williams.

"Once you see it happen, it's like shooting a basket," Moore said. "Like shooting a basket. You make it and the rest of them are just going to be automatic."

If only the Bulls found it worked that way.

"Now we've just got to keep them going back to back to back," Moore said. "So after we hit one we can't just settle for that one. Somebody else has got to go out there and make that play too."

There is more to it than the passing part.

Williams needs to pick up the nuances of the offense and how it works against NFL defenses better. He also has to make changes at the line when possible. He didn't change out of a running play that was going nowhere on fourth-and-goal last week from the 1-yard line and the resulting 12-yard loss by D'Andre Swift was devastating.

Williams sees himself being comfortable enough with changing Waldron's plays to do it when he sees fit.

"I wouldn't say it's uncomfortable," Williams said. "He (Waldron) has to call plays. And I have to go out there and execute. We have alerts that I can change, route concepts that I can change, depending on whatever the case may be. But he does have to call 'em, and I also have to go out there and execute.

"So to be able to go out there and make decisions in split-seconds, hesitation and not being decisive, I think that leads into the first part about it is not being comfy, and so for certain plays, whatever the case may be, or certain routes, I think that’s the biggest thing, and so me being able to communicate with him is important. I understand that. And I have to do it consistently."

One time Sunday might have made the difference in the game.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.