History Favors Titans in Bears Matchup

The Tennessee Titans will get Caleb Williams in his first NFL start when they face the Chicago Bears.

Aug 22, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Titans will be the first team Chicago Bears No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams faces in his career.

Williams, 22, was named the Bears starter shortly after he was taken by the team back in April with the top pick and he's had Sept. 8 circled on his calendar for quite a long time.

The Titans have also had Sept. 8 on their calendar circled since the league's schedule came out back in May and they have had Williams on their mind for a while.

"Painted nails. I can't wait to say that to him," Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said on The Rich Eisen Show back in June. "Most definitely. Oh, it's gonna be one of them games. ... They've got us coming to Chicago. All the hype's gonna be around them of course. I think when special, even prime-time games … everybody just counts Tennessee out, which we all know. A game like Chicago, I'm sure (they're) thinking we 'bout to get beat bad. That also make me even talk more smack and boost me up a little more, get into a different mode, as well. I'll be in a different mode that game."

History is favoring the Titans to win next weekend's game. Rookie quarterbacks starting in Week 1 have gone 17-35-1 since 1970, and last year's top signal callers went 0-3. Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans and Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts all lost their Week 1 debuts.

The last time a rookie quarterback won a Week 1 start was back in 2002 when No. 1 overall pick David Carr led the expansion Houston Texans to victory against the Dallas Cowboys, so if the Titans lose on Sunday, they will be on the wrong side of one of the league's long-standing records.

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