Caleb Williams and Bears start slow, but a few highlights have home fans excited

Finally, Chicago Bears fans could cheer on a few highlights from Caleb Williams.

The Bears got off to a slow start on offense in Saturday’s preseason game, which was Williams’ debut at Soldier Field. They went three-and-out in the first quarter. They were awarded a field goal to start the second quarter, though that was largely due to a defensive pass interference penalty downfield. It appeared to be a quiet continuation of an impressive preseason debut for Williams.

Williams then threw a pass that electrified Chicago, and a touchdown run that showed off his athleticism.

Just before the two-minute warning, Williams ran to his left, twisted his body and threw impressively to fellow rookie Rome Odunze for a gain of 45 yards. Bears fans can get used to plays like this.

A beautiful throw from Williams to the end zone as he rolled after escaping the rush would have been another highlight, but Odunze’s feet were out of bounds when he caught the ball. Williams made up for it.

On third-and-goal, Williams evaded the rush, cut left and found a lane into the end zone for a touchdown run. His day wasn’t perfect, but those two plays were reminders of why Williams was the first overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Overall, the Bears’ starting offense had a lot of work to do. Given the excitement for the first overall pick, which heated up after a strong preseason debut, it seemed like Williams would never have a bad game for the Bears. It was easy to forget that he’s still just a rookie.

It’s a good thing the Bears’ offense got going in the closing stages, because there wasn’t much to be positive about in the first quarter and a half.

The Bears wanted Williams to make some throws on his first series, but it didn’t go well. He threw too high to Keenan Allen on first down, threw behind Gerald Everett on second down, and threw him away on third down when nothing opened up. Three-and-out with three consecutive incompletions is not what Bears fans were hoping for when they first got a look at Williams.

The first quarter remained a grind. Williams threw short on a couple of completions. He threw an incomplete on a third-down pass to a fully covered DJ Moore on a slant, and the ball was easily batted away. Rookie punter Tory Taylor looked good, at least, averaging 50 yards per punt in the first quarter.

Given how quickly the Bears’ first four series went, the coaching staff had the starting offense on the field in the second quarter as well. On the first series of the second quarter, Odunze had a first down on an end around. Williams threw deep to Tyler Scott and it was a nice throw, and the Bears were given 43 yards on a defensive pass interference. Then the drive stalled. Then there was a false start, a sack, a loss on a second-and-21 screen pass, a short and safe pass, and a field goal. It was positive momentum, to say the least.

Williams’ final possession will be one Bears fans will remember. It was a beautiful drive that featured a deep pass to Odunze and a thrilling touchdown run by Williams. Coaches may focus on the mistakes in the coming week, but fans will be happy to remember the highlights.

Williams made some impressive plays last week with the Buffalo Bills in his preseason debut, showing off all the skills that made him the first overall pick. The excitement surrounding that debut added to the hype building for the season. After some fantastic plays at the end of his second preseason outing, the anticipation for the regular season won’t die down.