The Chicago Bears may be 1-0 after an incredible comeback that featured an all-time surrender cobra from Will Levis. But hyped-up, No. 1 pick quarterback Caleb Williams had very little to do with the victory.
In his Bears debut last Sunday, Williams looked like a rookie in every way. He left passes low and at his receivers’ feet. He clearly rushed his dropbacks, progressions, and reads. And for someone who is known for his stellar accuracy, Williams never looked quite comfortable in what can appropriately be attributed to first-game jitters.
On Wednesday, Williams was refreshing and candid as the Bears start looking ahead to Sunday night’s date with the Houston Texans. Not only did the rookie essentially admit that he was a little nervous, but he also explained how those nerves led to him making basic, avoidable mistakes that he could improve upon moving forward.
This is exactly what you want to hear from a developing quarterback after their NFL debut:
Bears QB Caleb Williams on what he wants to improve most from W1: “The drops. Sometimes I rush my drop a little bit, not needing to. One specific route that I can think of is Rome … a 10-yard route … I rushed my drop and tried to juice it in there a little bit and missed.”
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) September 11, 2024
It’s one thing to just say “jitters” when you have a poor debut.
Anybody can say that and offer up some milquetoast platitudes about getting better and keeping your nose to the grindstone. It’s another thing entirely to know how your internal tension actually affected your play and what you have to remedy moving forward. In this case, Williams explained that some of his passing dropbacks were rushed, so they naturally threw off his timing with his receivers. It’s just one key distinction he’s articulating rather well, which should help him learn the professional game faster.
The Bears are hoping Williams will become their first legitimate superstar quarterback in decades. It’s this kind of quality of self-reflection and honesty with himself that may help him become that franchise player.
