Bears need more from QB Caleb Williams to contend with Texans, but they also must help him get there
The Bears winning another game in which quarterback Caleb Williams completes less than half his passes and throws for under 100 yards is unlikely, and it’ll be nearly impossible Sunday night against the Texans.
They need to examine every way they can make his job easier. Williams vowed to be better after completing 14 of 29 passes for 93 yards and failing to drive the Bears more than 46 yards on any possession. At least there were signs that he could improve quickly. He had good vision and recognition in the passing game, setting up a framework for progress if he can sharpen his throws. Too many passes were late, overthrown or underthrown.
“He would say that, too,” coach Matt Eberflus said Monday. “His footwork [was] a little bit off at times. But, again, he threw a lot of good passes, too.
“He saw it well. He saw the coverage contours . . . and adjusted on the fly. He did a nice job.”
The Bears’ hope is that a quarterback whose hallmark has been accuracy will tighten up his throws. Even with offensive-line trouble, Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and D’Andre Swift created opportunities.
As Williams looks to elevate his performance, the degree of difficulty rises this week. While the Titans could end up being one of the five worst teams in the NFL, the Texans could be one of the five best.
After quarterback C.J. Stroud led them to 10 wins and the playoffs last season, they added firepower in four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs. They have a middling defense, though, and allowed 27 points to the Colts in Week 1.
Texans games tend to be shootouts. The problem is, nothing about Williams’ debut indicated that he’s ready to keep up at this early stage of his career.
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron can help facilitate his necessary leap with a few tweaks.
It’s not ideal long-term strategy, but, for now, it might help to roll Williams out more often, especially because he seems to be gifted at throwing on the run and the O-line faltered quite a bit against Tennessee.
Waldron also must find a way to get the rushing attack working, which is doable against a Texans defense that allowed 4.7 yards per carry against the Colts.
And it couldn’t hurt to play Kmet more. Tight end Gerald Everett has more history with Waldron, but Kmet has more history with catches, yardage and touchdowns.
Kmet’s career year of 73 receptions for 719 yards and six touchdowns last season was well ahead of anything Everett has stacked up.
Still, Everett got more playing time against the Titans.
Williams set his mind on exceeding Stroud’s remarkable rookie season of 273.9 passing yards per game, 100.8 passer rating and 23 touchdown passes with five interceptions. Stroud launched his season in his second game in 2023 with 384 yards and two touchdown passes against the Colts and still hasn’t come back down.
That would be a startling jump for Williams after throwing for those measly 93 yards. But the specialness the Bears see in him has to shine through at least a few times against Houston after he showed barely a flicker of it in his debut.