Things weren’t going well for Caleb Williams and the starting offense. Despite being at home and facing mostly backups for the Cincinnati Bengals, they couldn’t find any rhythm through the first quarter. All three of their drives ended with a three-and-out. Thankfully, things began turning around in the 2nd quarter. A big 43-yard pass interference helped the offense put a field goal on the board. Then, with four minutes left, Williams led a 90-yard drive, which featured two insane throws and a seven-yard scramble for a touchdown. It was the perfect way to end the afternoon. According to Ryan Poles, it was never supposed to happen, too.
The Chicago Bears GM spoke with the announce team of Adam Amin and Jim Miller during the game. He indicated the original plan was to pull Williams and the starters earlier. However, head coach Matt Eberflus made a judgment call to keep the rookie in the game, hoping he could get over the slow start and find a groove. It worked out. Williams started the game going 0-3. He finished 6-10 for 75 yards and a rushing touchdown. He would’ve had two passing TDs if Tyler Scott hadn’t been interfered with and Rome Odunze hadn’t stepped out of bounds.
Either way, the young quarterback got to leave the game on a high note, which is great for his confidence.
A lot of coaches wouldn’t have had the presence of mind or the guts to recognize the necessity of that decision. They would’ve accepted the setback and moved on to next week. Why risk injuries, right? It’s preseason. Eberflus didn’t see it that way. His young quarterback needed as much game experience as possible. Learning to overcome slow starts is essential in the NFL. The Bears head coach provided the opportunity, and Williams seized it.
One thing Ryan Poles understands is you can’t coach scared. You have to be willing to take risks if it’s for the good of the team. Yes, Eberflus is a defensive guy. That doesn’t mean he is conservative. He’s shown over the past two years that he is willing to make bold moves when the situation calls for them. This was another such example. Rather than baby his rookie quarterback, he allowed Williams to compete. It won’t always work out, but this time it did, and the Bears will benefit from it.
