Tag: Caleb Williams

Caleb Williams was visibly frustrated with the Bears’ defensive approach before Commanders Hail Mary

Caleb Williams was infuriated by the Bears’ stunning choke job.

It’s the morning after the Washington Commanders’ shocking Hail Mary win, and the Chicago Bears sure seem like they’re all out of sorts.

Where head coach Matt Eberflus blamed Bears players for their “execution” before Dan Quinn directly contradicted his late-game coaching approach, superstar cornerback Jaylon Johnson refused to blame anyone for the loss.

But the main Bears person in focus here should be No. 1 pick quarterback Caleb Williams.

While Williams also did not scapegoat anyone in his postgame press conference, two separate videos show that the bright young quarterback was visibly frustrated with how the Bears approached Washington’s final Hail Mary possession.

In the first, you can see Williams near the top of the screen trying to get any of the Bears’ defenders on the field to come up and defend a key quick out to Terry McLaurin. In fact, it’s literally what Williams motions to when the CBS camera finally centers on him.

Naturally, no one listened:

The second video was just as telling.

With CBS’s camera focused on Williams’ reaction while watching Jayden Daniels throw and complete the Hail Mary, the Bears quarterback romps off the field in disgust, seemingly going off on a tirade about someone’s mistake (it could’ve also been the missed holding calls).

Some might say that, with his overall terrible game, Williams hasn’t earned the right to be this openly incensed. But, again, it’s worth noting that he didn’t actually blast anyone in public, and even with a poor three quarters of play to start, Williams engineered not one but two touchdown-worthy possessions on the road against a quality team in the final moments.

Williams is the leader and emotional pulse of the Bears, who gutted out a tough almost-win despite not bringing their A-game. Anyone would be just as upset by how Chicago blew it if they were in his shoes.

Matt Eberflus’ inexcusable late-game coaching for Bears set up the Commanders’ Hail Mary

Matt Eberflus put on a coaching disasterclass to set up the Commanders’ Hail Mary win.

With how discombobulated they played, the Chicago Bears had no business beating the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Then, led by Caleb Williams, they scored an unanswered 15 points and held a 15-12 lead with just 23 seconds left. In almost every situation, it should’ve been a surefire victory from then on.

Then Chicago head Matt Eberflus’ decision-making reared its ugly head to set up Jayden Daniels’ heroic, game-winning Hail Mary. (Wait, was there a hold?)

First, Eberflus’ mandate around a prevent defense literally gifted Washington a free 13 yards to get closer for a reasonable deep shot. (Why would you ever let them get closer for free?) Then, rather than call any of his three timeouts to organize the Chicago defense and get everyone set up in an optimal way, Eberflus let things lie, setting up ideal circumstances for Daniels to have nearly 13 seconds of time before launching his desperate, game-winning throw.

This was especially problematic because Eberflus had linebacker T.J. Edwards lined up as a quarterback spy (ON A HAIL MARY) while also keeping some of his shorter defenders on the field. The Bears would then only rush three players. That’s not abnormal for a Hail Mary. What is abnormal is that Montez Sweat — Chicago’s best pass-rusher by far — was not on the field. Oh, and the Bears’ players on the field really let someone get behind them on a last-ditch play.

Basically, if Eberflus had used ANY of his timeouts, he would’ve likely prevented the perfect conditions for a Hail Mary.

Eberflus’ reaction on the sideline after the fact almost understates his completely inept failure to prepare his team with the game on the line:

The Bears had no business winning this game. But a heroic effort from their defense and a gutsy finish by their quarterback had them in position to steal it. Then Eberflus’ late-game coaching decisions threw it all away.

Eberflus is now 3-17 on the road in his Bears coaching career. He just might not be built for this.

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels dominates in rookie QB showdown

Jayden Daniels was the better quarterback on Sunday against Caleb Williams.

Sunday was the showdown between Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. The battle between the No. 1 overall pick and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

The game itself turned out to be one for the ages and one of the most exciting finishes of the season. But in the head-to-head between Williams and Daniels, there was a clear winner and that was Daniels.

Here’s how the final stats played out.

Williams: – 10/24 – 172 Total Yards – 0 Touchdowns

Daniels: – 21/38 – 378 Total Yards – 1 Touchdown

Daniels one touchdown came on the game’s final play when a hail Mary to wide receiver Noah Brown sealed the victory for Washington and helped them to improve to 6-2 on the season. Meanwhile the loss drops the Bears to 4-3.

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Commanders maintain NFC East lead over Eagles after defeating Bears on Hail Mary pass

Commanders maintain NFC East lead over Eagles after defeating Bears on Hail Mary pass

The Eagles (5-2) had an impressive 37-17 win over the Bengals in Week 8, but they’ll remain in second place in the NFC East after the Commanders (6-2) defeat the Bears 18-15 on a 52-yard Hail Mary pass from Jayden Daniels, that Noah Brown hauled in as time expired.

Daniels spent most of the week questionable to play with a rib injury but finished Sunday afternoon, 21-38 passing, for 326 yards and one touchdown. His counterpart, No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams, was 10-24 passing for 131 yards and no touchdowns.

The win improves the Commanders to 6-2, while the loss drops the Bears to 4-3. The Bears are struggling to keep pace with the Lions, Vikings, and Packers in the NFC North.

Looking ahead, Philadelphia will face the Jaguars in Week 9 and the Cowboys in Week 10 before hosting Washington in a Thursday night showdown on Amazon Prime on Nov. 14 in Week 11.

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Commanders lead Bears 9-0 at halftime

Commanders lead the Bears 9-0 at halftime.

The Washington Commanders (5-2) lead the Chicago Bears (4-2) 9-0 at halftime of their Week 8 showdown from Northwest Stadium.

The Bears began the game on offense, and Washington’s defense quickly made a statement, forcing a three-and-out on the first possession. Jayden Daniels took the field for the Commanders and, on their first drive, ran for a first down, showing no signs of the rib injury he suffered last week.

Washington’s running game was the story of the first drive. The team quickly moved down the field before stalling in the red zone, leading to an Austin Seibert field goal.

After another defensive stop, Daniels faced a third-and-long from deep in Washington territory and somehow managed to run for a first down and keep the drive alive. A few plays later, Daniels connected with wide receiver Terry McLaurin for a 61-yard completion inside the red zone.

Unfortunately, a penalty in the red zone pushed the Commanders back, and they had to settle for another field goal.

After Daniels led the Commanders deep into Chicago territory again, a 24-yard completion to Dyami Brown was wiped out when left guard Nick Allegretti was penalized for being downfield.

On third-and-4, it looked like Washington had its first touchdown when Daniels found tight end Zach Ertz in the corner of the end zone, but the officials ruled it incomplete, saying the ball moved when it hit the ground. Seibert kicked another field goal to make it 9-0.

The Bears had their best drive of the game and were in field-goal territory, but Washington’s pressure on quarterback Caleb Williams pushed them out of field-goal range and forced them to punt.

The Commanders’ first half was disappointing, as their offense outgained the Bears 267-90 but had to settle for three field goals. Washington’s defense was outstanding, creating consistent pressure on Williams and sacking him twice.

Daniels completed 10 of 19 passes for 154 yards in the first half, but the Commanders dropped four passes and had another big gain called back.

Daniels also rushed for 31 yards on three attempts. Brian Robinson Jr. led the Commanders with 50 yards on the ground.

Washington will receive the second-half kickoff.

Bill Belichick breaks down Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams

Bill Belichick breaks down Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.

Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels will forever be linked. Both are former Heisman Trophy winners and were the top two picks in the 2024 NFL draft, with Williams going first to the Chicago Bears and Daniels second to the Washington Commanders.

Both rookies are exceeding the already high expectations for them seven weeks into their respective NFL careers. Daniels has the Commanders at 5-2 and atop the NFC. He’s set multiple NFL and team records already. Meanwhile, Williams has the Bears at 4-2 and continues to improve each week.

On Sunday, Daniels and Washington host Williams and Chicago. The NFL wanted to flex the game into prime time but had to settle for the late afternoon kickoff on CBS.

Ahead of Sunday’s showdown, arguably the greatest coach of all-time, Bill Belichick, broke down the rookie passers on “Inside the NFL” with a particular emphasis on how Washington can defend Williams.

Here’s Belichick on Daniels and Williams:

 

A good breakdown by Belichick that had Chicago fans in shambles, thinking that the legendary coach was somehow praising Daniels while criticizing Williams. That’s not what he was doing.

Regardless of who wins on Sunday, this rivalry could be the next great quarterback rivalry over the next 10-12 years. If their respective careers go like we think they will, Williams and Daniels will see a lot of one another.

NFL Week 8 picks: See who experts are taking in Commanders vs. Bears today

Who are the experts taking in Sunday’s game between the Commanders and Bears?

Long before we knew today’s game between the Washington Commanders (5-2) and Chicago Bears (4-2) would feature two good teams in a potential playoff preview, there was tremendous anticipation for this matchup.

On one side, you have the No. 1 overall pick for the Bears, QB Caleb Williams, facing off against the No. 2 overall pick, QB Jayden Daniels of the Commanders.

The most significant question heading into this afternoon’s matchup is the health of Daniels. Will he play? Daniels suffered a rib injury in last week’s win over Carolina and was listed as questionable on Friday’s final injury report. However, all signs point to Daniels playing.

With Daniels’ health in question all week, the Bears opened as favorites. However, once Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Daniels was likely to play late Saturday night, those odds shifted, with Chicago only the slight favorite.

So, what do the experts think?

According to NFL Pickwatch, 63% of the experts are picking the Bears to win. However, those numbers could be skewed due to the uncertainty surrounding Daniels.

The Commanders and Bears are scheduled for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff.

Caleb Williams appreciates Kliff Kingsbury’s role in his development

Caleb Williams and Kliff Kingsbury speak ahead of Week 8.

When the Washington Commanders hired Kliff Kingsbury in the offseason, it fueled talk that they may pursue a trade for the No. 1 overall pick to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

Kingsbury, you see, spent the 2023 season at USC as a senior offensive analyst after taking a year off away from the NFL. At USC, Kingsbury reunited with good friend Lincoln Riley, his former college teammate at Texas Tech. Riley saw the opportunity to add Kingsbury to his staff could benefit the quarterback room, particularly Williams.

Kingsbury wanted to return to the NFL in 2024, interviewing for multiple offensive coordinator positions in Washington, Las Vegas, and Chicago. The Bears went in another direction, and Kingsbury chose the Commanders.

As far as Kingsbury and Williams reuniting in Washington, the Bears were never moving off the No. 1 pick, and the Commanders were locked in on Jayden Daniels at No. 2 regardless. It’s worked out well for both teams. Kingsbury and Daniels look like a match made in heaven, and Williams has played well recently.

The Commanders and Bears meet on Sunday. Williams spoke to the media this week and reflected on Kingsbury’s role in his development.

“He could give me great feedback on this next level that I knew that I was probably heading to at that time,” Williams said via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.

“That was big for me being able to listen to him and obviously build a relationship with him knowing the QBs he’s been around and similarities in some of the offenses that I’ve been in……….It was great to have those moments with him. I think it’s helped me for these moments now.”

For his part, Kingsbury also has fond memories of his short time working with Williams.

“Tremendous person, competitor, freaky talent, watching the stuff you do in practice and in the games,” Kingsbury said Thursday. “His ability, his feel, really, really special. I mean, he’s going to be one of the top guys in the league for a lot of years, and so that was cool to get to spend time with him last year.”

Williams and Daniels join the list of quarterbacks Kingsbury has mentored throughout his career, including Patrick Mahomes.

The biggest question ahead of Sunday’s game between the Commanders and Bears is whether Daniels will play. He suffered a rib injury last week and is questionable for Week 8.

 

The first two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft are set to duel each other this Sunday

Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels are set to square off in Week 8–if Daniels is healthy enough to play

In a sight that isn’t seen very often, the first and second overall picks are set to face off this coming Sunday as Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears travel to take on Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Both these rookie quarterbacks have been lights out so far this season, and it promises to be a fireworks show.

 

Both of these rookie quarterbacks have put up numbers with the best of the league, supercharging their offenses and creating contenders out of two teams that were bottom feeders the season prior. Between the two of them through the first 8 weeks of the season Williams and Daniels have a combined 19 touchdowns and record of 9-4 (The Bears already have had their bye week).

 

Assuming Daniels is good to go following a rib injury this last weekend, this could end up being one of the games of the week. Both teams are coming off of big blowout wins and look to keep their momentum going, and this could even heat up the debate of who ultimately should have went number one overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Caleb Williams wants Jayden Daniels to play Sunday

Caleb Williams wants Jayden Daniels to be able to play in Week 8.

When the NFL schedule was released in May, fans of the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders circled their calendars. When would Chicago and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams face No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels and the Commanders?

The Bears and Commanders face off this week, and both enter Week 8 as two of the NFC’s surprise teams. Washington sits atop the NFC East, while the Bears are in the thick of the NFC North race.

However, there is some uncertainty heading into Sunday’s highly anticipated matchup. Will Daniels play? The early frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year injured his rib in Sunday’s win over Carolina and did not return. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. Head coach Dan Quinn called Daniels “week to week” and said he was “hopeful” Daniels could play on Sunday.

Williams spoke to the media on Thursday, and he, too, hopes Daniels can play against the Bears.

“Obviously you don’t wish to see good and great players down, not in games,” Williams said via Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. “It only makes the game better (to have him).”

Much like how Daniels handles these types of questions, Williams was focused on helping his team win, not getting the best of Daniels.

“My job is to go win games on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays. That’s it,” Williams said.

You can bet Williams wants Daniels to play, and he wants to beat Washington — his hometown team — with his contemporary under center. And you can bet Daniels is just a little bit more motivated for this matchup. They aren’t going to tell you that, but that’s the competitive nature of these two elite athletes.

Williams is happy for Daniels and his early success.

“Happy for him, and great to see him balling out,” Williams said.

Quinn said he would have a Daniels update on Friday.