SI

Caleb Williams Shows Panthers What They're Missing With Monster First Half

Ryan Phillips

Williams was 11 for 15 for 200 yards and two touchdowns in the first half against Carolina.
Williams was 11 for 15 for 200 yards and two touchdowns in the first half against Carolina. / Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
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A trade the Carolina Panthers made in March of 2023 is still haunting them.

The Panthers and Chicago Bears worked out a now-infamous deal to send Chicago's No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft to Carolina in exchange for receiver D.J. Moore, first and second-round picks in the 2023 draft, a first-rounder in 2024 and a second-rounder in 2025. The Panthers used the pick to select Bryce Young, benched earlier this season, with the top selection. Meanwhile, the Bears wound up with the top selection in 2024 due to the trade and selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The Panthers could have had him without that deal.

On Sunday, he's showing them what they're missing.

The Bears led the Panthers 27-7 at halftime and Williams finished the first half completing 11 of 15 passes for 200 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He added 13 yards on three rushes and posted a quarterback rating of 154.9.

He also hooked up with Moore for two touchdowns passes in the half, twisting the knife a little deeper for Carolina.

In the first quarter, he hit Moore on a 34-yard strike.

Then hit Moore on a perfect strike at the end of the half.

This has to be hard for Panthers fans to watch.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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