Caleb Williams leads the Chicago Bears to two field-goal drives in his NFL preseason debut, contributing to a decisive 33-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday. This performance marked a significant moment for the rookie quarterback, highlighting his readiness to transition from college football to the professional stage.
Having not taken a competitive snap for nearly nine months, Williams expressed relief and excitement about getting back on the field. “Last time I was out there on a field other than practice was November 18th,” he reflected, recalling Southern California’s season-ending loss to UCLA. “You go that long without something, it’s tough. But no, it’s been great. The guys made it fun. They made it easy on me.”
His teammates echoed similar sentiments, praising Williams for his composure and sharp decision-making. He demonstrated his dual-threat capability by executing a 13-yard scramble for a first down on a crucial third-and-9 play. “It was great. Everybody was open today,” receiver DJ Moore noted. “Yeah, it gives you a lot of confidence going into the season.”
In his debut, the 22-year-old quarterback completed 4 of 7 passes for 95 yards, guiding the Bears to two drives that culminated in field goals. While he faced some challenges, including a near interception that was negated by a defensive penalty, Williams led an offense that accumulated a total of 152 yards and secured seven first downs across two possessions.
The game’s turning point came early in the fourth quarter when Bears linebacker Micah Baskerville intercepted a pass from Shane Buechele and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown, extending Chicago’s lead to 19-6. Additional touchdowns came from Velus Jones and Ian Wheeler, who scored on short runs in the latter part of the game.
On the opposing side, Bills quarterback Josh Allen had a modest outing, completing 2 of 3 passes for 22 yards and adding a 7-yard run during the first quarter. Backup Mitch Trubisky took over in the second quarter, leading a drive that resulted in a 24-yard field goal by Tyler Bass, narrowing the Bears’ lead to 6-3.
Bills coach Sean McDermott expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance, noting that the four-time defending AFC East champions allowed 340 yards while managing only 200 themselves. “Our standard was not out there today. That’s not how we play,” he stated, admitting his frustration during the game.
Despite the disappointing performance, McDermott acknowledged the positive aspect of the game: the team emerged without injuries. He also credited Tyler Bass for successfully kicking a 49-yard field goal.
For the Bears, Williams’ performance was particularly anticipated after he and the starting players sat out their previous preseason game against Houston. As he aims to become the Bears’ second rookie quarterback to start a season since the NFL merger in 1970, Williams displayed notable improvement in his timing and execution compared to earlier training camp practices.
His first pass showcased his skill, completing a 12-yard throw to Moore while under pressure. Williams also made a remarkable 42-yard completion to running back D’Andre Swift and a 26-yard connection with tight end Cole Kmet, demonstrating his ability to make plays on the run.
The Bears’ opening drive ended with a 30-yard field goal by Cairo Santos, while their second drive stalled at the 15-yard line after Williams was pressured and overthrew a pass intended for rookie Rome Odunze.
“There’s certainly positivity there, and we’re not going to squash that,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus remarked about Williams’ debut, emphasizing the importance of building on this momentum.
Williams shared this sentiment, expressing optimism for the future: “To get out there and have the confidence that we had out there, it’s only going to get better. And we can’t wait,” he concluded.
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