Not so long ago Chicago Bears fans were riding high, confident that they had solved their decades-long quarterbacking problem by bringing in a generational talent in Caleb Williams. Since then a 4-2 record has melted into a 4-5 mark and suddenly the playoffs seem to be slipping away. An offense that appeared to be getting on track has completely derailed, posting a total of only 27 points in three straight losses.
And just like that, the vibes are very bad. Williams carries the worst quarterback rating of any quarterback that went in the first round last April. Clearly there's some development that needs to happen there as he's holding the football for far too long and has been reluctant to throw the ball away. Also, his legs haven't been on display much and the result is a franchise savior who looks pretty one-dimensional.
But the real problem, the pundit class agrees, is the system Willams is being asked to operate. Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron are not doing their rookie any favors and smart football people are pointing this out more and more.
ESPN's Louis Riddick likened the experience of going to a tapas place and indiscriminately getting a bunch of things to share.
#Bears offense has no plan. Just calling plays like ordering off a menu.
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) November 10, 2024
On Get Up this morning Dan Orlovsky put an emphasis on how slow Williams is operating at the top of his dropbacks. The analyst said the top overall pick looks slow physically and mentally. Rex Ryan chimed in to say the he would be expecting someone of such high caliber to be showing signs of improvement, which aren't there.
Perhaps the worst sign for the Bears is that talking heads are putting on their 20/20 hindsight glasses and wondering if the team should have selected Jayden Daniels instead of Williams. Nine games into a career! They are very tough graders.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Louis Riddick Torches Bears' Anemic Offensive Plan as Caleb Williams Struggles.
