Caleb Williams and the Offense Again Suffered from Slow Start in Loss

Bears’ first overall draft pick Caleb Williams thought he handled all the excitement surrounding his matchup with No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels well.

He did not settle this with a win or a point in the 44 minutes of the match.

The Bears looked to the offense early against Washington in an 18-15 loss, as they did against the Colts and Texans; These were the other two away losses.

Never mind the heartbreaking Hail Mary in which their defense gave up. This was defense of a game and it ruined a noble effort. But the offense had no excuse to take a week off and come back feeling like it was still saying goodbye.

“We’ve got to be better in the first quarter,” Williams said in a statement at Halas Hall that has probably been repeated more than any other this season. “This starts with me rushing out.

“This, you know, starts with us rushing out. You know, we keep getting the ball early.

DEATH PENALTY: BEARS LOSE TO COMMANDERS IN HAIL MARY PARADE

TYRIQUE STEVENSON APOLOGIES FOR HAIL MARY’S BEHAVIOR

“We have a great defense that will help us stay in it but we have to be better and play complementary football.”

Until the offensive line becomes the main priority, we will be stuck where we are. You can’t be a great team until you dominate the offensive line. Period. #bears

— Jarrett Payton (@paytonsun) 27 October 2024

Williams led a pair of final touchdown drives, including the go-ahead score in the final minute, before losing on a Hail Mary. But he had made his share of mistakes before.

He was kicked well out of field goal range just before halftime, and while he was in that position, he first stepped off the ball, then backtracked and went out of range.

“I’ve got to get the ball out, I’ve got to be better at that,” Williams said.

If he had thrown the ball, the Bears would have scored a 43-yard field goal, but he had a 15-yard loss.

He had another similar situation in the first half, where he could have taken the first shot and was able to scramble in the backfield and slide past the defense in short order.

“Yeah, after doing all the little bullshit in the backfield and standing vertical, I actually thought I was the first down and I looked back and I slid and spun as the guy was coming,” Williams said. “I was supposed to take the blow and fall forward, but I slipped, like I slid sideways, I thought I caught it but I didn’t.”

I don’t even stumble #DaBears pic.twitter.com/7rumDwsZGf

— Adam Rank (@adamrank) 27 October 2024

Williams looked poor in the passing game throughout the first half and even into the third quarter. He was 3/8 passing for 33 yards in the first half and eventually was 10/24 passing for 131 yards. At least until the fourth quarter, they certainly looked like they lacked the momentum and timing they had in their passing attack before the bye.

“We could have played better offensively the whole game to put ourselves in a better position, and we will do that,” Williams said.

Does it look like Tyrique Stevenson tried to catch it with one hand?

Why doesn’t it swing down?

A devastating way to lose. #bears pic.twitter.com/RIucwTeK4m

— Sky Kruse (@KruseSports_) 28 October 2024

He said the pressure of playing in his hometown against the No. 2 pick in the draft wasn’t a concern, but something appeared to be bothering him early on. It’s a good thing he missed it because Daniels threw the ball for another 195 yards. Daniels completed 21 of 38 passes for 326 yards and a TD, or a 92.7 passer rating.

TYRIQUE STEVENSON APOLOGIES FOR HIS BEHAVIOR DURING HAIL MARY

“Yeah, I think I did a pretty good job setting it up emotionally,” Williams said.

“Just another football game.”

Except for the ending, which ends with Daniels’ Hail Mary pass.

“Honestly, it was a heartbreaking play,” Williams said.