CHICAGO — Chicago Bears fans packed Soldier Field hoping to see something new. Something special. The beginning of a new era.
Instead, they got a replay. A throwback game. An old-fashioned “Da Bears” slobberknocker. But at least a familiar ending was a happy ending.
The Bears won their season opener 24-17 against the Tennessee Titans thanks to a proven formula of defense, special teams and absolutely no offense.
It wasn’t ideal, but for the first game of a new season… it’s a good thing, right?
GALLING DEEPER
Bears defense and special teams shine in comeback
Caleb Williams’ long-awaited NFL debut was a bumpy one, though that’s certainly not unusual for a rookie quarterback starting an opener. The last time a quarterback drafted No. 1 overall won his NFL debut was 2002. The last 15 of them have gone 0-14-1.
I assume those other 15 teams didn’t have the opportunistic defense and special teams of the Bears.
“Of course it’s great to get this first win,” Williams said. “We’re all excited. We went to the locker room to celebrate, and I sat down and enjoyed the moment, just watching all the guys celebrate, understanding that I have to get better, I will get better.”
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Williams went 14 of 29 for 93 yards and took a loss of 19 yards on a sack. His longest completion was for 13 yards. He looked more like Craig Krenzel on a bootleg game than the resurrection of Sid Luckman, but he didn’t throw an interception or fumble. If Williams had made one big mistake, the Bears probably would have lost. But he didn’t and they didn’t.
After a game in which the Bears offense threw for 148 yards and no touchdowns, Williams met a packed interview room with a smile and a bounce in his step. Yes, he was bad on Sunday, but no, he wasn’t fazed by the speed of his first real NFL game.
“I saw it well,” he said. “There were maybe a few passes that fell, maybe missed. I think it was just mistakes. The speed of the game, I wouldn’t say it affected or changed much.”
“I don’t think there was any fear,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “He was calm, cool and collected the whole time. He never got frustrated. We always talk to him about the reaction you have to just keep going, because sometimes it can get tough on both sides. It can get tough. You just have to keep going. You have to have that belief — the belief in the guy next to you, the belief in your teammates. It’s not just about one person. That’s what I saw at halftime. They showed that in the second half.”
All about the reaction 💯 photo.twitter.com/pmmcca4ee4
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 8, 2024
Throughout the game, Williams threw a few too many passes at his receivers’ feet or well past their hands. There was no pixie dust on his deep ball. At times, he looked smooth rolling out plays, but no one was open.
Yet he never looked scared. I believe Williams believes he is the man. It’s not false confidence, either. Some people mask their insecurities with attitude. Not Williams. You can see why Bears GM Ryan Poles quickly realized he was their man at No. 1.
But he’s still a rookie playing the toughest position in the game. The Bears won despite him, and that’s fine for now. Expect more next week when they visit the Houston Texans. And more the week after that, and the week after that. That’s how it works.
With this defense, the Bears are built to win this season, and Williams has to be a major factor in making that happen. At the very least, he can’t be the reason they lose. No one should have expected too much from him in his first game. As for the Bears’ veteran-laden defense? You can bet big on it.
Chicago grabs a pick-six and takes the lead in the fourth 🔥
🎥 @NFL | @ChicagoBears photo.twitter.com/mxbc4oP6RR
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) September 8, 2024
When was the last time the Bears won a game without scoring an offensive touchdown? Uh, last November when Cairo Santos kicked four field goals in a 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. On Sunday, Santos had three field goals, including a 48- and 50-yarder in the second half.
After giving up two touchdowns in the first half, Eberflus’ defense shutout the second half while harassing Titans quarterback Will Levis for 127 yards passing, two interceptions and a dropped fumble. Williams got a “what not to do” tutorial from his colleague. Tennessee’s second-half drive chart looked like this: blocked punt (touchdown), punt, punt, fumble, interception (touchdown), punt, interception.
“We know we have a dominant defense,” said cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who decided the game with that final interception.
Trailing 17-3, the Bears’ first touchdown came on a blocked punt in the third quarter. Daniel Hardy got the block and Jonathan Owens finished the play with a scoop and a score. In the fourth quarter, trailing 17-16, Chicago got its other touchdown when Levis threw an ill-advised pass under duress that fell into the hands of Tyrique Stevenson, who carried it 43 yards.
“We’re a team of dogs,” Stevenson said. “At some point, it’s going to be the offense that helps us.”
I’ve heard that quote three times from a Bears defenseman, but this time it might be true. It might take a few weeks. Maybe longer. But Williams and the offense are going to be the reason this team wins games this season.
The Bears are now a team that plays defense first and foremost. Still. There’s something comforting about the familiar, even when you want to see something different.
Williams’ six-week training camp was hellish at times, thanks to the D, who never let him down during practice and made him hear about it. With that experience seared into his mind, he said he predicted Stevenson’s interception from the bench.
“It was awesome to be able to see that,” he said. “I kind of lost my voice at the end of the game cheering on our guys.”
(Photo: Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
