Best Way Bears Hope to Help Caleb Williams Going Forward

The Bears could go back to their traditional way of helping their quarterbacks and that's by running the football when they face Indianapolis on Sunday.

Getting D'Andre Swift and the running game going might be the best way for Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to kick-start the offense. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It's been said before countless times and is a tried but true method of revitalization for the Bears offense even in this era of the 21st century quarterback from USC.

It's time to get back to basics and knock the snot out of people with the running game.

"I always think it always starts with running the football," tight end Cole Kmet said. "I think every offense, the No. 1 goal is to run the football effectively. I think it always starts there.

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"From there I think you can open up some things in the pass game as well. That includes staying ahead of the chains there and being more disciplined up front as well with our cadence and whatnot. So we had a few false starts—I was included in that. Getting those things corrected. We can’t have those things. Kinda shooting ourselves in the foot there."

Caleb Williams wouldn't be fleeing the pocket in terror with an effective running game because one keeps the defense guessing but does something else.

"Well I think No. 1 it's always physicality," Kmet said. "I think you want that to show up. I think that's, when I think of like Bear football, that's what I want it to look like. I think you see that defensively right now and on special teams of course.

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"You know, I think obviously that starts back with the run game, establishing that physicality early on in the game. And that kind of leads into everything else."

The Bears haven't established anything running-wise other than Williams running for his life while being sacked seven times. It didn't go so well Sunday night at Houston and they think the running game can help cure what ails their pass blocking issues, as well. A running game takes the pressure off the passing game.

Caleb Williams having the worst net yards for a QB in the last 10 years thru weeks 1/2, all whilst the Steelers are 2-0 with Justin Fields is outstanding work.

— Alexander Basara (@Basaraski) September 16, 2024

The opportunity could be there this week because they face the Indianapolis Colts, who gave up 204 yards on the ground to Houston and 261 to the Packers on Sunday.

However, the Bears' three running backs combined for 27 yards rushing Sunday night and were outrushed by Williams (44 yards).

Caleb Williams' average pass was thrown in 2.59 seconds last night, 6th fastest in the NFL this week. You can't blame the pressure on him.

— Johnathan Wood (@Johnathan_Wood1) September 16, 2024

"It's, you know, run game comes down to the basics," coach Matt Eberflus said. "It comes down to your combo blocks. It comes down to guys working their helmet in the right spot, staying square, working to the second level, spotting up to the second level, sticking and staying on the second level.

"The perimeter blocking needs to improve with our push-cracks, our crack blocking, blocking on the perimeter for perimeter screens. It just comes down to detail. It comes down to us being consistent as a group to be able to get that done. Again, we got the guys, we got the coaches, we got the players. We just got to be better at the details, be better at the fundamentals of running the ball."

Per PFF, when the Bears ran to the right (not counting QB runs) they had 10 carries for 35 yards.

When the Bears ran to the left: 8 carries, 1 yard.

— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) September 16, 2024

Twitter: BearsOnSI