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Caleb Williams disappoints fans in NFL debut despite Bears comeback win over Titans | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors
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Caleb Williams disappoints fans in NFL debut despite Bears comeback win over Titans | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 8: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears gestures at the line of scrimmage in the first quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field on September 8, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Quinn Harris/Getty Images

Caleb Williams may be in his Rex Grossman era.

Grossman is known to have won many games for the Chicago Bears despite his poor performance. This is due to the team’s special teams and defense, and that is exactly what Williams did in his first career start.

Chicago defeated the Tennessee Titans 24-17 on Sunday at Soldier Field despite trailing 17-3 at halftime. The No. 1 first-round pick didn’t play well, completing 14 of 29 passes for 92 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions, but the defense led the win.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

CALEB WILLIAMS IS THE FIRST #1 QUALITY QB TO WIN IN DEBUT SINCE 2002 🔥
NEW ERA IN CHICAGO 🐻 pic.twitter.com/QDfqwwz9EV

Tyrique Stevenson’s pick-six in the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winner after Jonathan Owens’ touchdown on a blocked punt turned the game around. Fittingly, it was Jaylon Johnson’s interception of Will Levis that decided the game in the final two minutes.

Still, social media focused on Williams’ overall performance:

Although this was the first game for new Titans head coach Brian Callahan, who is looking to help his team rebound after two consecutive unsuccessful seasons, all eyes were on the Bears and Williams’ regular season debut.

He was the star of a drastic offensive overhaul this season that also saw the NFC North team trade Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers and add Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift and Gerald Everett to an offense that already featured DJ Moore and Cole Kmet.

Expectations were high heading into Sunday’s opener for a team that hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2010 season, but that optimism quickly faded after a miserable start. First, Williams took a sack for a 19-yard loss that put him out of field goal range, and then Tennessee scored its first touchdown on a long run by Tony Pollard.

As if that wasn’t enough, Velus Jones Jr. dropped the ensuing kickoff, setting up a Titans field goal before Chigoziem Okonkwo came up with a 50-50 jump ball for a touchdown. Even Chicago’s only field goal before a 17-3 halftime deficit was no relief to fans, as it came after Allen dropped a touchdown.

Then everything changed thanks to the defense and special teams.

Owens recovered the blocked punt for a touchdown, giving fans, some of whom had booed during halftime, a reason to cheer. And then a strip sack by Darrell Taylor and several long field goals by Cairo Santos brought the deficit to one point before Stevenson made the biggest play of the game.

Williams must be much better next week Football on Sunday evening against CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans, but Bears fans are surely excited about the opening win.

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