A stage for stars:

There is no bigger stage for the NFL regular season than Sunday Night Football. The eyes of the country are on what is usually a marquee game or a showcase for top talent. Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears haven’t proven enough to be considered the “marquee” game, but Williams and the Bears certainly fit the talent billing.

It’s venues like Sunday Night Football that build credibility and lore for players and franchises. It’s called primetime for a reason. With a fan base as fervent as the Chicago Bears and the expectation of being the first overall pick, it’s nearly impossible to truly live up to expectations.

Those expectations, at least on the surface, don’t bother the rookie quarterback. Realistically, we know he feels the pressure, but he hasn’t shown it. Certainly not in a negative way on the field. Williams has gotten off to a hot start in the preseason and has impressed with his play, but the preseason is just a dress rehearsal for the real thing.

In his rookie debut against the Titans, Williams surprised no one with his performance. The 14/29 for 83 yards and zero touchdowns or interceptions was certainly not the most dazzling debut. Despite the low numbers, Chicago Beard’s defense and special teams held up and ultimately led the team to victory.

Scary Sunday:

Going from a disappointing debut performance to a Sunday Night Football road game against a playoff team led by coach Demeco Ryans is a tough ask. That’s the pressure that comes with it, Williams’ position. Williams rose to the challenge and started the first half solid. Completing 12 of 15 for 91 yards and leading a late touchdown drive was a strong first-half performance considering the environment.

The numbers aren’t great, but the composure and toughness on display was exactly what you want to see from a young quarterback in his second start. One issue in Williams’ first start was that he held onto the ball too long, an issue that many were concerned about in his pre-draft evaluation. Williams improved greatly in that area against the Texans early in the game.

The second half of the game didn’t go quite as planned, and the third quarter in particular was a brutal sight. While the play-calling didn’t help matters at all, Williams missed a few throws while letting his back foot go. The offensive line began to crumble under the Texans’ pass rush, and Williams was sacked a total of seven times against the Texans’ front seven.

Under the withering pass protection, Williams reverted to his college habits. While his pocket presence and sack avoidance were visible, the level of athlete in the NFL is simply superior to what he encountered in college. Two plays Williams would like to have back are interceptions where he forced the ball onto smothered targets. The second was in triple coverage after avoiding a sack.

On the final two drives, the Chicago Bears defense gave the offense a chance to win the game. The offensive line continued to get beat, but misfires on back shoulder balls stopped a drive and ended the game on the last. The final stat line was 23 of 37 passes for 174 yards and two interceptions.

Williams showed a lot of heart despite the abuse and mistakes. These are growing pains for any starting quarterback, but one thing that will help Caleb’s development is a defense that keeps them in the game. Despite the two turnovers, the defense kept them in the game. The feeling that the game is never out of reach is a boost for everyone, including the playcallers.

Slowly and steadily wins the race:

Fixing mistakes and controllable issues is a sign that Williams is on the right track from that standpoint. From game one to two, he adjusted to getting the ball out quicker. From game two to three, you’d hope to see the same thing in terms of fixing mistakes. Throwing the ball out and differentiating between zip and touch is the next step.

After just two starts in his career, you can see the lights coming on. The talent is obvious. You can also see the dependency on old habits that he needs to grow out of. Now that he is settling in and feeling more comfortable, we could be witnessing the birth of a star. But it is clear that there is still a long way to go.