With Chicago selecting Caleb Williams with the first pick of the draft, the Bears are experiencing their usual ups and downs. While Williams is still learning the speed of professional football, he is already breaking records in Chicago. He has the most passing yards in a game by a rookie, sixth all-time in rookie passing touchdowns, and with his 2,016 passing yards, he is on pace to break the 3,000 yard marker in a single season, something that has never been done in Bears franchise history.
The Bears also drafted wide receiver Rome Odunze from the University of Washington. The connection between Odunze and Williams is already forming as Odunze has 479 receiving yards on 34 receptions, one of which being a touchdown.
The Bears are now through the halfway mark of the season and are 4-6. However, they are in one of the hardest divisions in the league with the 8-2 Vikings and 9-1 Lions. The NFC North makes it much harder for the Bears to go to the playoffs, but there is still hope. The Bears started the season with a defense-heavy win against the Titans, followed by a rough loss against the Texans. But a Week 3 win against the Colts was where we got the first glimpse of what Willams is capable of. In the following weeks, Williams threw for over 300 yards against the Panthers to get the win, and 226 yards against the Jaguars to make it three in a row for the Bears.
In week 8 the Bears went up against the Washington Commanders who have a rookie quarterback of their own. This matchup was a very good test for the Bears as the Commanders are moving rapidly up in the NFL projections. However, the game ended with a zero second hail mary that was caught by wide receiver Noah Brown to end the game 18-15 for a Commanders’ win. Caleb’s numbers were much lower than his previous week with only 131 yards and zero touchdowns.
Do you think the Bears will make the playoffs?
“I don’t think the Bears will make the playoffs this year. It’s not that the Bears are bad, I think the NFC North is just that good. Also, the Bears offensive line is a weak point. Against elite defenses, Caleb Williams has no time in the pocket to throw; the same problem Justin fields had. I think they could squeeze out a few more wins, but the majority of their remaining schedule is difficult. With star defensive rusher Aidan Hutchinson out for the season, I think the Bears can squeeze out a win against the Lions, but will get swept by the Packers and Vikings. The Bears will have to rely on their elite defense in order to win games and have a chance of making the playoffs,” said senior Noah Kowalski.
How do you feel about Caleb Williams’ performance?
“He started out cold early in the season, but in Week 3, he heated up. I hope he continues to stay hot and keep the ball in the air,” said Cole Ward.
How do you think the next couple of years will go for the Bears?
“The Bears will be a playoff team for the next couple of years as they have a lot of young talent with Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze. The Bears are only getting started,” said Owen Kohut.
Was Justin Fields the problem?
“Fields wasn’t really the Bear’s problem. They never really invested into finding weapons for him like they have for Caleb Williams. Fields was a talented player who could have very well flourished on a team with more veteran leadership, a stronger O-Line, and a better receiving corps. With that being said, Williams has brought a breath of fresh air to the organization and there is a buzz that hasn’t been there for a very long time,” said Luke Callahan.
How do you think the team will perform against harder opponents?
“I think our talented defense will rise to the level of the competition. As long as Williams continues to play well, we can rely on our defense and win some meaningful games,” said Finn Graf.
Should the Bears have drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. over Caleb Williams?
“No, I think Caleb Williams is a great fit for the Bears because he is a young, talented leader. Williams has also developed a lot from week to week so far this season and will only get better,” said Bink Hartline.
