Remember all of the hype this preseason surrounding Caleb Williams and the impact he might have on the immediate fortunes of the Chicago Bears? All of the good vibes coming from “Hard Knocks” seems like a distant memory now as the Chicago offense couldn’t even muster a touchdown at home against the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Williams has shown he has the tools to be the long-term answer for the Bears at quarterback, and Chicago has surrounded him with a group of playmakers that, on paper, would seem to make his first NFL season one that would be successful. However, a stagnant offense and an injury-filled offensive line have turned preseason hope into cries for the jobs of head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
With Chicago stumbling against New England (marking the second consecutive game where the Bears haven’t scored a touchdown) and the entire slate against the NFC North beginning this week at home against the Green Bay Packers, the time is now for the Bears to find the comfort zone for Williams and let him guide the offense rather than putting him in situations where he is uncomfortable.
The body language from Williams has changed dramatically since the Hail Mary loss at Washington, with the first overall pick admitting that some things “didn’t click” with him during key moments in Sunday’s home loss. Sure, some of that can be attributed to a rookie learning at the NFL level. However, there is a failure in coaching there as well if Williams isn’t ready for whatever situations come his way on any given Sunday.
Shaking your head at the offensive coordinator? That’s not only a sign of not being on the same page, but also a cry for help from Williams.
If the Bears are going to turn things around as the divisional portion of the schedule begins, it has to start now, and it has to involve a series of decisions that revolve around what is best for the quarterback and kickstarting the offense. If Waldron is the problem, now is the time to move on.
The Bears can’t sit back and wait for things to get better. An injury-plagued offensive line gave up nine sacks on Sunday to New England, and the defenses in Detroit, Minnesota and Green Bay are salivating over the thoughts of getting their turns to hit Williams.
Keeping Williams healthy from a physical standpoint and locked in from a mental standpoint is arguably more important for the Bears right now than the final score. Consecutive losses to Arizona and New England have not helped Chicago’s playoff chances, and the schedule ahead is anything but easy if the Bears are to possibly play meaningful football in January.
That, however, is the future. The Bears need to be focused on Williams and the present. Staying pat and not making changes (whether that’s in the coaching ranks or the offensive plays being called) is a disservice to Williams, his development and the steps that are needed to be taken for the Bears to eventually get back to the playoffs.
