Caleb Williams took ownership for not playing well on Sunday. This is true. There were moments during the game when he missed some big opportunities due to inaccurate passes. This led to him completing fewer than 50% of his throws and failing to crack 100 yards. People are already raising alarms about whether he's capable of handling the NFL. However, a closer inspection of the game suggests the Bears coaches deserve just as much blame for their decisions on Sunday.
Let's start with the offensive line. The interior protection was rough all afternoon. Part of that was a bad game from center Coleman Shelton, but his job was made harder by the team's decision to rotate Nate Davis and Ryan Bates at right guard. The fact they chose to do this in Williams's first start is puzzling to say the least.
Davis started, but the official snap counts revealed that Bates (38 snaps) doubled the playing time of Davis (18). It’s a rotation that feels like a partial benching.
More concerning was the snap distribution at tight end. Cole Kmet was a legitimate weapon last season. Yet offensive coordinator Shane Waldron only played him 27 snaps, while Gerald Everett, who is older and less talented, got 34. Keeping one of your best weapons off the field seems like a poor strategy.
The Waldron criticisms didn't end there. Former player Brian Baldinger called him out for getting too cute with the play calling, not giving Williams more high-percentage throws to create easier completions.
The Bears have to do more to help Caleb Williams.
What they delivered on Sunday was far below acceptable. The Titans defense deserves credit for playing a good game. Their front controlled the line of scrimmage. However, the Bears' entire approach played right into their hands. Waldron seemed eager to hit on more big plays rather than helping his young quarterback find a rhythm first. He has to remember he's not dealing with Russell Wilson or Geno Smith. Both were veterans when Waldron took over in Seattle. To be fair, this is uncharted territory for him. He's never worked with a rookie before.
The team can't afford to get cute next Sunday. They're playing a Houston Texans team that is likely to score points. You can bet everybody will mention the Bears passing on C.J. Stroud last year if he plays well and Caleb Williams again looks overmatched. Waldron needs to make life easier for his young quarterback. Be practical. Focus on running the ball and high-percentage throws. Give him a chance to find a rhythm. Build his confidence. Things should improve from there.
