Caleb Williams is the Bears starting QB, but will that be the case next week?
Eberflus confirms Williams as starter for now, but non-committal for the rest of the season
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus confirmed that Caleb Williams will be the starting quarterback when they welcome the Green Bay Packers to Soldier Field on Sunday, but was non-committal to the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner remaining the starter for the rest of the season.
“I would say that we’re looking at everything week-to-week. You always do that — what’s best for the football team. We made a big decision last week and I think you always have to evaluate that — the things you did well, the things you need to improve on, where’s your football team at and where you need to go the very next week. So, I think that’s important.”
Williams’s rookie season has been a mixed bag
Williams’s rookie season with the Bears has been a peak sandwiched in between two valleys through ten weeks. Weeks 4, 5, and 6 exemplified the promise of his talents, while Weeks 1-3 and 7-10 have left Chicagoans scratching their heads as the deficiencies of the Bears offense reared their ugly heads.
The former USC Trojan completed 70 of 118 passes for 630 yards, 2 TD passes, 4 interceptions, and a fumble lost through his first three games, where he was also sacked 13 times and Chicago started 1-2.
Confidence from teammates
Despite the recent report that some veteran players on the team wanted a change at quarterback, both Williams and teammate DJ Moore expressed full support for the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner on Wednesday.
“I think I got full support from them. I’ve gotten texts or calls or people coming up to me with this situation that just happened, saying, ‘We got your back. We’re with you,'” Williams said.
Minutes later, Moore took to the podium, echoing what Williams said about the atmosphere around him.
“You got to have support for him no matter what he’s going through out there, busting his butt, trying to learn everything at once, and the defense is throwing a lot at him so, you can’t really be mad at him,” Moore said.
Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown’s challenge
After Tuesday’s events, the job of getting Williams right and the Bears offense back on track will fall in the most part on Brown’s shoulders.
Brown is no stranger to calling plays, having served as the Carolina Panther’s offensive coordinator in 2023. He hopes to have similar success guiding the Bears offense against the Packers on Sunday.
“Here’s what I said about fixing the problem,” Brown said. “It starts every day when we walk in the building, but what I said to the team today and to our offensive staff and players is, [there’s] two things you control when you walk in the building. It’s your effort and your attitude.
“So, it starts there first — how we approach the meetings, being detailed, being locked in and then transferring that to the actual practice field, being just as excited for the walkthrough, but also making practice as hard as humanly possible so the game can somewhat become easier.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, Caleb Williams is the Bears’ starting quarterback for now, but Eberflus is keeping the door open for changes down the line. Williams and his teammates have expressed support for him, and now it’s up to Thomas Brown to get the offense back on track.
FAQs
Will Caleb Williams be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season?
Eberflus was non-committal, stating that they will evaluate week-to-week what’s best for the football team.
Has Caleb Williams received support from his teammates?
Yes, both Williams and DJ Moore have expressed full support for him, with teammates also texting and calling him with messages of encouragement.
Who will be calling the plays for the Bears’ offense?
Thomas Brown, the team’s new interim offensive coordinator, will be responsible for calling the plays and trying to get the offense back on track.
