Some things simply haven't changed, no matter what the Chicago Bears try and do this season. Firing head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will only do so much. This team has further, deeper issues at hand.
And, once again, these issues were on full display in Week16 as the Bears hosted the Detroit Lions. Fans at Soldier Field witnessed the Bears get buried with a 20-0 deficit early in the second quarter after a pair of turnovers cost the offense and Detroit just couldn't stop scoring each time they had the ball.
But, speaking of things that haven't changed, you can't quite say rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has stayed the same this season. Although it's been a rough stretch whether the blame is passed onto coaching or a lack of offensive line, Williams has proven to have the "stuff" which made him the no. 1 overall pick. We've seen plenty of glimpses of that ceiling he came into the league with.
On Sunday, although the Bears lost their ninth game in a row and fell to 4-11 on the season, Williams was mostly brilliant. He ended the day going 24-of-40 for 334 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.
More Bears news:
Speaking of zero interceptions, Williams now owns the sixth-longest streak without throwing a pick, in NFL history. We've gone beyond the rookie record, now. Williams is working on all-time NFL history, instead.
Notes from @BearsPR:
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) December 22, 2024
- Caleb Williams tied a franchise record with his fourth 300-yard game this season.
- He's gone 326 passes without an INT, the sixth-longest stretch in a single season in NFL history.
- Cole Kmet passed Desmond Clark for 3rd in team history for TDs by a TE.
Caleb Williams continues to make his mark on Bears franchise history
With Williams' Week 16 total, he now owns the sixth-most passing yards in a single season in Bears franchise history with 3,269. Of course, he still has two games to go. And, with one more 300-yard game, Williams will have thrown more of those, in one season, than any other quarterback in Bears history.
And, we remember he is still a rookie ... right?
For all of the critics and negative narratives being written about Williams, this year, he's certainly -- and quietly -- been proving them wrong. Say what you will about the guy, but Williams has been every bit of the no. 1 overall pick.
Like it or not, he's been well-worth the hype and draft capital. It's a shame the Bears haven't been able to surround him with sufficient coaching or an offensive line. He's been the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL, to this point. Against the Lions, in the fourth quarter, he looked absolutely gassed. He was exhausted; looked like he had been beaten.
Criticize him all you want for his emotions, body language or whatever else you want to say about the young man. But, he's been doing some fantastic things as a first-year pro, especially considering the circumstances around him.