After a 31-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears got the kind of reminder teams hate to need: Caleb Williams matters, and matters a lot.
Head coach Ben Johnson said the quarterback is moving in the right direction and could be ready as soon as next week.
"He's on track. We'll see if that's Atlanta or after. I think it's going to be close," Johnson said (h/t Chris Emma).
That leaves the Bears with a decision if Williams isn’t able to return against the Atlanta Falcons. Tyson Bagent struggled for a second straight week, and Case Keenum didn’t provide much of a lift either.
It was the kind of game where just about everything unraveled at once. The offensive line couldn’t hold up, the receivers couldn’t consistently separate, and Roschon Johnson offered little in the Kyle Monangai role.
Once the Bears fell behind big, the quarterbacks were forced into risky throws that only made the mess worse. They’re not as bad as they looked against Jonathan Gannon’s defense, but that won’t be much comfort to frustrated fans.
Williams’ absence has been hard to miss. He opened the season with a huge day against the Carolina Panthers, piling up four total touchdowns in a 59-point road outburst. The next week, things tightened up against Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings’ defense before he went down late in that game.
The Bears are likely to be careful with their franchise quarterback. They still have a winning record and may be able to handle the Falcons without him, especially if the defense plays better this time.
Still, there’s no question the offense looks different without him. Williams brings a dual-threat element and a throwing ability that covers every blade of grass on the field, including when he’s on the move out of the pocket. On this roster, nobody else offers that.
In Other News...
Ben Johnson And Matt LaFleur Just Added More Heat To This Rivalry
The latest chapter in the Bears-Packers rivalry had the usual stakes, but it also carried a little extra edge between the sideline bosses. Chicago coach Ben Johnson has made no secret of how badly he wants to beat Green Bay, and Packers coach Matt LaFleur has responded by keeping the focus on the rivalry itself rather than any personal back-and-forth. It has given this matchup a sharper feel, even before the teams get to the part where the players decide it.
After Green Bay handled Chicago 31-7, the coaches postgame exchange at midfield was as brief and businesslike as it gets. There was nothing warm or lingering about it, just a quick acknowledgment before both men moved on, which fit the tone LaFleur prefers when these teams meet. The rivalry already sells itself, but the way these two are carrying it is adding another layer of heat. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Loss To Packers Put Chicagos Quarterback Debate Back In Focus
The Bears loss to the Packers did more than knock Chicago to 3-2 with two divisional defeats. It dragged the quarterback conversation back to the front of the conversation, with a handful of rough outings coloring the night for Tyson Bagent, Colston Loveland, Malik Muhammad and offensive coach Ben Johnson. In a game that was already carrying plenty of weight in the NFC North race, the offense never really settled in and the defeat left the Bears searching for a cleaner response.
Tyson Bagent was pulled after a difficult stretch, and the timing only sharpened the sense that Chicago is once again looking at the position through a bigger lens. Caleb Williams, who had been listed as questionable before kickoff, is expected back under center next week against the Falcons, giving the Bears at least a possible reset after a divisional loss that reopened familiar questions. [Read more 🡒]
Bears Found A Few Bright Spots In Another Brutal Packers Loss
Amid another rough afternoon against Green Bay in Week 5, there were still a few individual performances worth noting for Chicago. Devin Bush was active all over the field, Dillon Thieneman kept showing up as one of the Bears most reliable tacklers, and Zavion Thomas gave the return game a boost while also contributing a catch on offense.
The bigger picture still stung, of course, but those flashes mattered for a roster looking for any signs of traction. Bushs work in the middle and Thienemans steady production were encouraging in a game where the Bears needed more disruption, while Thomas provided some juice in the kicking game and a reminder that even in defeat, there were a few pieces worth building on. [Read more 🡒]