QB Williams vows to 'be higher' after Bears win

CHICAGO — With the sport ball secured in his left arm, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams threw up his signature Bear claw along with his proper hand in response to the ovation he acquired from followers upon exiting the tunnel at Soldier Subject.

In Chicago’s 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans, Williams grew to become the primary quarterback drafted with the No. 1 choose to win his first profession begin since David Carr in 2002. His efficiency, nonetheless, left the quarterback pissed off.

Williams accomplished 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards, didn’t throw a landing or an interception, fumbled as soon as and was sacked twice. The rookie quarterback was off track on 31% of his throws and averaged 3.2 yards per cross try.

“We need to be probably the most environment friendly crew on the market, myself included,” Williams mentioned. “Did not carry out the best way that I wished to. I missed a couple of passes that I usually do not miss, all these different issues.

“Clearly, it is nice to get this primary win. We’re all excited. Went to the locker room, celebrated. I sat down, loved the second, simply watching all the fellows rejoice understanding that I should be higher, I shall be higher.”

The Bears had been almost shutout within the first half earlier than Cairo Santos kicked a 24-yard discipline purpose to present Chicago its first factors of the 2024 season. Santos linked on two extra discipline targets, from 50 and 48 yards, respectively, after the Bears’ punt protection unit broke open the sport.

In keeping with ESPN Analytics, the Bears had a 14% likelihood to beat the Titans earlier than defensive finish Daniel Hardy blocked a Tennessee punt with 3:19 remaining within the third quarter. Security Jonathan Owens recovered the soccer and ran 21 yards for a landing to chop the Titans result in 17-10.

“I did not know who blocked it,” Owens mentioned. “I heard it and I had seen the ball bouncing round. There’s guys round and I simply took off, instantaneous response. It was simply loopy. The ball good there, simply picked it up and scoop. I am simply considering take off and run full pace. I get in the long run zone and it did not actually really feel like actual life for a second. That is why I am sort of trying again, like did I simply rating?”

Chicago’s protection, which ranked No. 1 in opposition to the run in 2023 (86.4 yards allowed per recreation) struggled to include Tennessee’s speeding assault within the first half. The Titans churned out 115 yards on 16 carries within the first two quarters earlier than the Bears clamped down after halftime (25 yards on 10 rushes within the second half, 0.7 yards allowed earlier than first contact).

One drive after recording a strip-sack fumble, which gave Chicago’s offense the ball again and resulted in Santos’ third discipline purpose to chop Tennessee’s result in 17-16, the Bears protection skilled a breakthrough of its personal.

Going through third-and-6 from Tennessee’s 45-yard line, Bears coach Matt Eberflus dialed up a blitz that bought dwelling to Titans quarterback Will Levis. Upon being hit, Levis flipped the ball towards the sideline.

However as a substitute of the ball going out of bounds, Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson nabbed a 43-yard pick-six that gave the Bears their first lead of the day. Williams and the offense contributed their first factors on the next 2-point conversion when the rookie linked with operating again D’Andre Swift to take a 24-17 lead.

“We at all times need to be the spark of the crew,” Stevenson mentioned of the Bears protection. “We all know Caleb coming in was going to have his ups and downs. This won’t have been the sport he wished however we’re simply his kickstand. We bought him and he bought us.”

The Bears are the primary crew in NFL historical past to win a recreation by which they trailed by no less than 17 factors and had fewer than 150 whole yards. Williams struggles’ got here in quite a lot of areas in his NFL debut: He was 0-of-6 underneath duress, 2-of-8 for 19 yards in opposition to the blitz and 4-of-13 for 40 yards on throws of greater than 5 air yards.

“They did nothing spectacular,” Titans defensive sort out Jeffery Simmons mentioned. “What we bought to do is simply get the ball. I did not see nothing spectacular. They did not do s— on offense, so I am enthusiastic about what we had on protection.”

Postgame, Williams equated his frustrations to the 48-20 loss USC had at Notre Dame in 2023. With the ability to lean on the Bears protection and particular groups unit offered sufficient for a 1-0 begin and the kind of momentum the quarterback believes will yield related outcomes in future video games.

“It was a irritating recreation,” Williams mentioned. “However crucial factor and it reveals a bunch of the character of this crew, I might say. The combat, the resiliency that we had.

“And we weren’t shaming on anyone. Protection not getting on the offense, all these different issues. It reveals the character, how a lot everyone believes in ourselves, the Chicago Bears, protection believes within the offense, offense believes within the protection, particular groups and so forth.”