CHICAGO — Chicago Bears followers packed Soldier Area hoping to see one thing new. One thing particular. The beginning of a brand new period.
As an alternative, they acquired a rerun. A throwback sport. A superb old school “Da Bears” slobberknocker. However at the very least a well-known ending was additionally a contented one.
The Bears received their opener — 24-17 over the Tennessee Titans — behind a time-tested system of protection, particular groups and completely no offense.
It wasn’t ideally suited, however for the primary sport of a brand new season … no matter works, proper?
GO DEEPER
Bears protection, particular groups shine in comeback
Caleb Williams’ much-anticipated NFL debut was a rocky one, although that’s definitely commonplace for a rookie quarterback beginning an opener. The final time a quarterback drafted No. 1 received his NFL debut was in 2002. The final 15 of them went 0-14-1.
I assume these different 15 groups didn’t have the Bears’ opportunistic protection and particular groups.
“Clearly, nice to get this primary win,” Williams mentioned. “We’re all excited. We went to the locker room to rejoice, and I sat down and loved the second, simply watching all the blokes rejoice, understanding that I should be higher, I can be higher.”
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Williams went 14-of-29 for 93 yards and took a 19-yard loss on a sack. His longest completion was for 13 yards. He regarded extra like Craig Krenzel with a bootleg sport than the second coming of Sid Luckman, however he didn’t throw an interception or lose a fumble. If Williams had made one large mistake, the Bears in all probability would have misplaced. However he didn’t they usually didn’t.
After a sport by which the Bears offense netted 148 yards and no touchdowns, Williams met a packed interview room with a smile and a skip in his step. Sure, he was dangerous Sunday, however no, he wasn’t rattled by the velocity of his first actual NFL sport.
“I noticed issues nicely,” he mentioned. “A number of passes on the market could have been dropped, could have been missed. I feel it was simply miscues. The velocity of the sport, I wouldn’t say it affected or modified a lot.”
“I don’t assume there was any nervousness,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus mentioned. “He was calm, cool and picked up the entire time. By no means acquired annoyed. We all the time discuss to him concerning the response you might have of simply hanging in there, as a result of generally it might probably get tough on either side. It might get tough. You’ve simply acquired to hold in there. You’ve acquired to have that perception — the idea within the man subsequent to you, perception in your teammates. It’s not nearly one man. That’s what I noticed at halftime. They exhibited that the second half.”
All concerning the response 💯 pic.twitter.com/pmmcca4ee4
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 8, 2024
All through the sport, Williams threw a number of too many passes at his receivers’ toes or nicely previous their arms. There was no pixie mud on his deep ball. Typically he regarded clean extending performs by rolling out, however nobody was open.
Nonetheless, he by no means regarded spooked. One factor I consider about Williams is that he believes he’s the person. It’s not false confidence, both. Some individuals disguise their insecurities with perspective. That’s not Williams. You may see why Bears normal supervisor Ryan Poles rapidly realized he was their man at No. 1.
However he’s nonetheless a rookie taking part in essentially the most tough place in sports activities. The Bears received regardless of him, and that’s superb for now. Subsequent week, on the street towards the Houston Texans, you may anticipate extra. And extra the subsequent week and the week after that. That’s how this works.
With this protection, the Bears are constructed to win this season, and Williams needs to be a significant component to make it occur. On the very least, he can’t be why they lose. In his first sport, nobody ought to have anticipated an excessive amount of from him. As for the Bears’ veteran-laden protection? You may anticipate away.
Chicago grabs a pick-six and takes the lead within the fourth 🔥
🎥 @NFL | @ChicagoBears pic.twitter.com/mxbc4oP6RR
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) September 8, 2024
When was the final time the Bears received a sport with out scoring an offensive landing? Uh, final November when Cairo Santos kicked 4 subject objectives in a 12-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Sunday, Santos had three subject objectives, with a 48- and 50-yarder within the second half.
After giving up two touchdowns within the first half, Eberflus’ protection pitched a second-half shutout whereas harassing Titans quarterback Will Levis to the tune of 127 yards passing, two interceptions and a misplaced fumble. Williams acquired a “what to not do” tutorial from his peer. Tennessee’s second-half drive chart regarded like this: blocked punt (landing), punt, punt, fumble, interception (landing), punt, interception.
“We all know we’re a dominant protection,” mentioned cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who clinched the sport with that remaining interception.
Down 17-3, the Bears’ first landing got here on a blocked punt within the third quarter. Daniel Hardy acquired the block, and Jonathan Owens completed the play with a scoop and a rating. Within the fourth quarter, trailing 17-16, Chicago acquired its different landing when Levis threw an ill-advised move underneath duress that discovered the ready arms of Tyrique Stevenson, who took it 43 yards.
“We’re a crew stuffed with canines,” Stevenson mentioned. “In some unspecified time in the future, it’s going to be the offense serving to us out.”
I’ve heard that quote a time or three from a Bears defensive participant earlier than, however this time perhaps it’s true. It would take a number of weeks. Possibly longer. However Williams and the offense can be why this crew wins video games this season.
For now, the Bears are a defense-first crew. Similar because it ever was. There’s one thing comforting within the acquainted, even while you need to see one thing totally different.
Williams’ six-week coaching camp was hellish at instances due to the D, which by no means let up on him in apply and let him hear about it. With that have seared into his head, he mentioned he predicted Stevenson’s interception from the bench.
“It was superior to have the ability to watch that,” he mentioned. “I kinda misplaced my voice on the finish of the sport cheering on our guys.”
(Picture: Quinn Harris / Getty Photographs)
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