Moments after the Chicago Bears selected punter Tory Taylor in the fourth round, first-overall pick Caleb Williams sent him a message, promising, “Hey, you’re not going to punt too much this year.” Sadly, Williams hasn’t lived up to his promise, with fewer total yards (2,021) than Taylor has in punt yards (2,153). However, with all the struggles in Chicago, the problems stem deeper than just at quarterback.
Bears QB Caleb Williams Struggles to Fulfill His Promise, but It’s Not on Him
Bears’ Offensive Rankings Since the Bye Week
Since their win in London over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Bears offense has been abysmal, as if they forgot how to play complementary football after the bye week. Here’s how the Bears’ offense has ranked since then:
- 19.1 yards per drive
- 0.67 offensive TDs per game
- Six sacks allowed per game
- 5.9% of drives ending in a TD
- 55.9% of drives ending in a punt
- -0.33 EPA per dropback
- 50.5% completion rate
In the loss to the New England Patriots, Williams completed only 16 of 30 passes for 120 yards—but that wasn’t the worst of it. He was also sacked nine times. Colin Cowherd of The Herd said it best; “Caleb Williams is going backwards. When you have talented players, they’re young, and they’re getting worse—that’s a coaching thing.”
Bears Coaching is Ruining Another Top QB Prospect
It’s not just one person criticizing the coaching staff; other respected NFL analysts, like Daniel Jeremiah, have pointed out the negative impact on Williams. Jeremiah stated, “Biggest issue for Caleb Williams right now—playing tentative. He’s not cutting it loose. He’s trying too hard to avoid mistakes & then he’s guiding the ball. It’s almost like it’s been beat into him.”
It’s disheartening to see a coaching staff drain all the creativity and flair from such a talented prospect, as they did with Justin Fields. Both Fields and Williams were highly aggressive passers in college, yet the coaches are now repeating the same pattern with Williams. Engraving the idea that turning over the ball is the worst thing in the world will never help develop any rookie quarterback. Since the bye week, Williams only has one big-time throw and zero turnover-worthy plays, which says it all—he’s losing what made him special. Williams looks like a completely different player than he did a month ago, and it’s clear that the coaching staff is the reason.
It’s Clear the Bears Need to Make a Decision Fast to Save Caleb Williams
At this point, it’s clear the Bears’ coaching staff and organization are failing Caleb Williams. If they don’t want to repeat this endless cycle of mediocrity, it’s time to make some changes. Matt Eberflus must be fired after this season, and Ryan Poles should be on the hot seat. As for immediate adjustments, let’s hope new OC Thomas Brown can help the Bears offense get back on track. Under Shane Waldron at OC, the Bears haven’t scored a touchdown in two games, with only 27 points across their last 34 possessions. The offensive line is atrocious, the wide receivers aren’t getting any separation, and the tight ends are nonexistent. If the Bears don’t turn things around quickly, they risk squandering Williams’ potential.
Main Image: Mike Dinovo – USA Today Sports
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