Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams praised for progress against Lions

If there was a glimmer of hope in the Chicago Bears‘ 52-21 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, it was that second-year quarterback Caleb Williams took a step in the right direction after being useless for most of the team’s Week 1 loss against the Minnesota Vikings.

In both starts, Williams looked efficient in the scripted opening drive, leading the offense to touchdowns. However, he was sloppy for the rest of the game against the Vikings. On Sunday, Williams kept his poise in the pocket and delivered nice passes. However, penalties via the offensive line killed drives.

Caleb Williams showed progress in Week 2

Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune praised Williams for playing a much better game against the Lions than he did in Week 1.

“He was more poised in the pocket,” Biggs wrote of Williams. “He didn’t look as rushed making throws. His footwork appeared to be more consistent. He wasn’t ready to play the kind of video-game football that would have been required to keep the Bears in this game in the second half. But it was a step in the right direction as Williams finished 19 of 30 for 207 yards with two touchdowns to Rome Odunze and an interception.”

The defense didn’t help Williams and the offense stick to the original game plan. A six-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Rome Odunze cut the Lions’ lead to 21-14 with 1:55 remaining in the first half, but the defense would let Jared Goff and Detroit march down the field to take a 28-14 advantage at halftime.

The Chicago Bears couldn’t help Williams in the second half

After that, the Bears didn’t have a running attack, and Williams had to stick to throwing from the pocket. While he played good from the pocket, Goff is a lot better at that skill than the second-year quarterback.

“The Bears didn’t get a lot of explosive plays, but if you were seeking improvement, it was there,” Biggs wrote. “Keep in mind the Lions were fine seeing Williams operate from the pocket. His ability to damage the Vikings defense with his legs in Week 1 caught the Lions’ attention. They wanted to force Williams to be a pocket passer, confident their quarterback would be more proficient in that area to make the difference.”

Williams should have another opportunity to show off his arm in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys. After trading defensive end Micah Parsons, their defense has allowed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson to go 49-of-64 for 566 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

Look for the Bears-Cowboys game to feature some leaky secondaries on Sunday.

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