Bears defense’s consistent message to Caleb Williams during tough debut vital for QB’s next steps originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — No one inside Halas Hall expected rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to come out and light the world on fire to start his NFL career.
Rookie quarterbacks, whether named Manning, Luck, Russell, or Smith, struggle during Year 1. There will be smooth moments where everything clicks, followed by rocky waters where stabilization is needed.
Williams’ NFL debut Sunday was filled with the expected shaky rookie quarterback play. The No.1 overall pick finished the day 14-for-29 for 93 yards in the Bears’ comeback 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans. Williams was inaccurate, had messy footwork, and seemed to press as his struggles mounted. Poor offensive line play and a still-developing chemistry with his wide receivers contributed to the turbulent day.
The Bears were prepared for Williams to have these rookie moments. They built a roster that can support him and lift him up, with an ascending defense that is more than willing to carry the team when called on, as they were Sunday.
The Bears’ defense didn’t allow the Titans to cross midfield after halftime, and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson‘s pick-six proved the difference in an unlikely comeback win.
The defensive domination will get the headlines, but the unit’s message in the quiet moments with Williams — both during and after the tough debut — was their most important contribution in Week 1.
“It’s just culture,” safety Kevin Byard said Monday at Halas Hall. “That’s the team. And I told him that a bunch of times just on the sideline. I mean, it was a couple of times he came to the sideline, may have been frustrated with a throw he had or something, and said, ‘We’ve got your back. Don’t even worry about it.’ I kept reminding him. I said, ‘Y’all guys are going to make a play to win us the ballgame.’ So it’s just a reminder to keep letting guys know that we got your back. Because that’s what a team is. Because I know for a fact that there’s going to be a game this year that we’re going to need the offense to make plays for the defense.”
As Williams was doing a postgame interview with FOX after the win, cornerback Jaylon Johnson snuck up behind the quarterback and delivered a similar message.
“Defense got your back 18,” Johnson could be heard saying on the broadcast.
Williams knows that what happened Sunday can’t become commonplace. Speed bumps are fine, but progress is essential. That he and the offense get to make the corrections after a win is a credit to a dominant defense and well-coached special teams that carried the day.
“Obviously, it’s great to get this first win,” Williams said after the win. “We’re all excited. Went to the locker room, celebrated. I sat down, enjoyed the moment, just watching all the guys celebrate, understanding that I need to be better, I will be better.”
There’s a unanimous belief inside the Bears’ locker room that Williams will make good on that promise and that “better’ will arrive in short order.
“That’s one of the most competitive dudes that I know,” rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze said. “He’s got like that Michael Jordan makeup to go make something happen. So now that we had a day like we had today, this is going to fuel us even more and continue to make us want to get better and better.”
And if “better” gets delayed, the Bears’ defense is more than willing to shoulder the load while pushing Williams to keep his chin up and the pedal toward the greatness they believe is in his future down.
