Caleb Williams’ post-farewell skid continued Sunday within the Chicago Bears’ 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots. It was the Bears’ third straight loss, inflicting a blame recreation within the Windy City because it seems adjustments to the crew’s offense could also be on the horizon.
The No. 1 general decide within the 2024 draft accomplished simply 16 of 30 passes for 120 yards in Sunday’s loss. What’s in all probability extra regarding, although, is that Williams was sacked 9 instances by a Patriots protection that solely had 16 complete sacks within the recreation.
Williams struggled throughout Chicago’s three-game skid. He accomplished 50.5 p.c of his passes for 468 yards and 0 touchdowns whereas being sacked 18 instances in that span, a far cry from his four-touchdown efficiency in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6.
Two of these three losses got here in opposition to quarterbacks chosen instantly after Williams: Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders and Drake Maye of the Patriots. Colin Cowherd believes these groups are doing one thing proper with their rookie quarterbacks whereas the Bears are letting Williams down.
“Drake Maye’s colleague was Justin Herbert, however not as polished after faculty,” Cowherd advised “The Herd.”
“All of a sudden, within the final couple of weeks, I used to be like, ‘Oh, I can see it. It’s getting higher.’ (Broncos rookie QB) Bo Nix a month and a half in the past as we speak, ‘Oh, you see it, I see it?’ Everyone sees it. He’s getting higher. Jayden Daniels could have misplaced (Sunday), however he is higher than he was to start with.
“Caleb Williams goes backwards. When you have got proficient gamers, they’re younger they usually’re getting worse – it is a teaching factor.”
Cowherd expressed concern primarily about Williams’ completion proportion, saying he has accomplished fewer than 54 p.c of his passes in every of the final three video games. He believes that is the most important indicator that the coaches are failing Williams, whereas giving the rookie credit score for the best way he has dealt with adversity.
“This is a crew that may’t plan layups,” Cowherd mentioned. “You have to present the fellows six, seven, possibly eight, 9, give them the straightforward ones after which ask them to make 12 powerful NFL throws. They cannot do this. And Caleb did what leaders do after defeat. He defended the coach.
“If you’ll be able to’t program six or seven simple completions, they do not even use his mobility,” Cowherd added. “I imply, Caleb may not be nice, I do not understand how it’ll finish, however this is not it. This is not the way it ought to be.”
Are Caleb Williams’ struggles resulting from an absence of help from the Bears?
Former NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck dismissed the notion that Williams is past reproach throughout an look on “The Herd.” Since Williams was sacked time and again in Sunday’s recreation, Hasselbeck mentioned at the least 90 p.c of all sacks are sometimes the quarterback’s fault.
“Caleb, he is a younger quarterback, so I’m not attempting to throw stones at him due to errors,” Hasselbeck mentioned. “I’m not shocked by the errors. The expectations can be greater as a result of there are guys like Jayden Daniels enjoying good soccer. Bo Nix is enjoying good soccer. Drake Maye can be enjoying good soccer. So, I feel the birds will whistle they may exit with Caleb.
“But to sit down there and say that, you recognize, there isn’t any place to go along with the ball, or that there isn’t any method to keep away from sacks (is deceptive).”
However, Hasselbeck additionally positioned a few of the blame on the Bears.
“Clearly, the belief is not there,” Hasselbeck mentioned. “I feel there are some issues they may do to assist him.”
The Bears might make some adjustments quickly to assist Williams. Bears coach Matt Eberflus advised reporters Monday that the crew is “going via” the method of retooling issues, which might embody transferring on from offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Chicago’s offense is thirtieth in yards and twenty fourth in scoring after Sunday.
Former Bears quarterback Chase Daniel thinks Waldron is not the one offender, although.
“The Chicago Bears offense is damaged and it begins with Caleb Williams,” Daniel advised “The Facility.”
“It finally ends up with that offensive coordinator, and within the center, someplace, there’s that offensive line that gave up 9 sacks.”
Even although Williams is simply 9 video games into his NFL profession, Sunday’s efficiency and three-game dropping streak have triggered concern in Chicago. Daniel understands the frustration amongst Bears followers contemplating how issues went with the Commanders, who took Daniels with the second general decide.
“Honestly, you would need to deal with it as a result of (the Bears) have not scored a landing in 23 straight drives, two straight video games,” Daniel mentioned. “The final time it occurred was 2004 and while you see the success of Jayden Daniels and the Commanders with (OC) Kliff Kingsbury, you can have had each. You determined to not.”
Is Caleb Williams the worst rookie QB in his class?
Daniels turned the favourite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, main the Commanders to a 7-3 begin. But the success of rookie quarterbacks goes past Daniels. The No. 12 general decide Nix led the Denver Broncos to a 5-5 document and threw two touchdowns in a standout efficiency in opposition to a top-notch Kansas City Chiefs protection on Sunday. No. 3 decide Maye, in the meantime, scored eight complete touchdowns and helped New England go 2-3 within the 5 video games he began, injecting the Patriots’ lifeless offense with much-needed power.
James Jones believes Williams is at present the worst first-round rookie quarterback within the league.
“Caleb Williams appeared dangerous on the market,” Jones mentioned. “However we wish to cut up it, nevertheless we wish to minimize it, nevertheless many performs we wish to present receivers not getting open, there’s loads of performs we are able to present the place receivers get open. My man did not see what he ought to My man will get sacks typically that he should not carry, O-line will get beat up soundly, at instances the place he cannot do something.
“But when it is one thing for him to do, make these easy throws, whether or not it is outdoors the pocket, contained in the pocket, he isn’t making them.”
Unfortunately for Williams and the Bears, the street forward does not look any simpler. They subsequent face three consecutive NFC North opponents — the Packers, Vikings and Lions — who all have successful data.
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