LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) – Bears rookie quarterback Caleb William didn’t let early struggles faze him Saturday.
After Williams and the Bears’ starting offense went three-and-out on each of their first three series against the Bengals in preseason action, head coach Matt Eberflus kept them on the field for the remainder of the first half. The 22-year-old Williams responded by leading two scoring drives and producing a couple spectacular moments.
The Bears went on to earn a 27-3 win over the Bengals. Williams was 6-of-13 for 75 yards, and his performance was highlighted by a 45-yard strike to rookie receiver Rome Odunze and a seven-yard touchdown run.
“He’s a competitor and nothing is going to slow him down,” Bears linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said. “Something maybe didn’t go his way, but at the end of the day, he’s going to come out that next play still talking, still being himself, confidence level still high and he’s ready to ball. And that’s what I respect the most, man, because a baller want to play with a baller at the end of the day.”
Eberflus referred to Williams’ performance as a “professional” outing, pointing to both the early struggles and late successes. Williams agreed with that assessment and is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to learn from those miscues.
Williams was 0-for-3 on the Bears’ opening drive. He was penalized for intentional grounding on third down, which forced Chicago to punt out of its own end zone.
The Bears know Williams will experience highs and lows during his rookie season. They’re drawing confidence from how he handles it all.
"Being a rookie quarterback, I can't imagine the pressure that is on him,” tight end Gerald Everett said. “But going through an NFL install from training camp to now, leading up to Week 1, just seeing him handle it, roll with the punches is a sight to see.
“I can't say enough about Caleb. I'm sure he will be even more exciting in the future.”
Williams and the Bears’ starters are unlikely to Thursday, when Chicago visits the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs for its preseason finale. The Bears open the regular season by hosting the Titans on Sept. 8 at Soldier Field.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.