Bears’ message to Caleb Williams amid struggles hits right note

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Caleb Williams isn't the first rookie quarterback to enter the NFL with immense expectations only to struggle out of the gate.

He won't be the last.

Williams arrived in Chicago and was greeted with a hero's welcome. The "generational" signal-caller was expected to immediately slot into an offense armed to the gills with playmakers and lead the Bears to their planned ascension.

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Then, the NFL hit Williams and the Bears in the mouth right out of the gate.

Through two games, Williams has thrown for just 267 yards while completing just 56.6 percent of his passes. The USC product has thrown two interceptions and has yet to find the end zone.

Football is the ultimate team game. The blame for the Bears' offensive struggles doesn't lie solely at Williams' feet. He was erratic in his NFL debut, missing several passes he normally hits. He played much better in Week 2 but was the victim of a porous Bears' offensive line that allowed him to be sacked seven times and pressured on 23 of 48 dropbacks against the Houston Texans, per Next Gen Stats. The Bears' offensive line ranks 30th in pass-block win rate through two weeks, per ESPN stats.

Still, 267 yards and zero touchdowns are not what Williams or the Bears expected after an offseason that had them crowned as the NFL's next up-and-coming team.

However, the Bears also spent the past eight months building the right support system for Williams to deal with the expected turbulence that rookie quarterbacks face.

Williams expected more to start his career. Everyone did. But the Bears are focused on helping Williams navigate the bumps while growing into the star his talent suggests.

That takes one thing above all else -- patience.

"Just be steady," head coach Matt Eberflus said Friday at Halas Hall when asked for his message to Williams. "The NFL, if you want to ride the roller coaster, you can, but you don’t have to. You have to be steady. You have to make sure that you’re playing and you’re processing and those things are coming together.

"Caleb is 22 years old and going through this for the first time, and he’s learning that process. He’s got a good plan. He just has to stick to it, go about your business. You can listen to this, that, or the other thing. You can’t listen to the outside noise. You have to be right, do right and you’ll get the right result. He’s doing that."

NFL history is littered with uber-talented quarterbacks who got punched in the mouth early and responded to have brilliant and, in some cases, Hall-of-Fame careers.

Peyton Manning is the prime example. In his first two starts, Manning went 42-for-70 for 490 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. His brother Eli Manning completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes while throwing for 310 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions.

Matthew Stafford threw five interceptions and only one touchdown in his first two games. John Elway went 10-for-28 for 120 yards and one interception.

Houston Texans star quarterback C.J. Stroud came out of the gates hot, throwing for 626 yards and two touchdowns in his first two games. However, Stroud hit a rough patch after his first month that saw him complete fewer than 50 percent of his passes in three consecutive games from Week 5 to Week 7. Stroud only threw one interception during that stretch, but the Texans went 1-2 as the offense sputtered.

Stroud quickly rebounded and finished the season on a rocket ship to stardom, throwing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only five interceptions in 15 games en route to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, who was the defensive coordinator in San Francisco during the Trey Lance failure and subsequent rise of Brock Purdy, understands the need to foster a supportive environment that takes the weight off a young quarterback's shoulders as the inevitable struggles arrive.

"One thing we all have to take a step back from, we can’t expect every young quarterback that’s drafted to come in and just tear the league up right away," Ryans told Texans media on Thursday. "It doesn’t work that way. Just look at Peyton Manning and his career and how he started his first year. One of the best quarterbacks of all time, he didn’t start off tearing the league up as a rookie right away. So, we have to be patient with all these quarterbacks. Some quarterbacks it takes a little more time than others.

"But it’s just about everyone being patient and not everyone being so quick to crown the next superstar. Because it’s hard to win in this league. It’s hard to lead in this league, especially how young these quarterbacks are coming in and the weight that is put on them. I think it’s personally too much. Everyone outside is expecting them to come in and be the best in the league and that’s not it. You have to grow. You have to learn. You have to go through some growing pains. That’s how you get better and become a real true pro in this league.”

Williams is welcoming the early challenges of the NFL. He entered the league with high expectations and an understanding that things would not be seamless. There would be lessons, and he would have to adjust and grow.

"It’s great. It’s truly awesome," Williams said after the Bears' loss to the Texans. "You sign up for this position. You sign up for games like that. That was a playoff team last year, and to be down six with a chance to go win with the ball in your hands, that’s all you can ask for."

For the Bears, their job is to help Williams guard against the frustration that might come if the struggles persist early on. They know Williams is their prized asset. This season has to be about fostering growth and development in a rare talent who can elevate the franchise to coveted heights if they are successful.

Patience. Patience. Patience.

"I think for him, it goes back to the same point from last week, which is be where your feet are planted," offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said. "I think the turnaround in the NFL is so quick. It’s a long season. There’s going to be good and bad that happen for every single team across the league right there. And how can you come back in on Monday, whether it’s after a great win or after a loss. ... It’s still not what anyone is looking for – but how do you show up for work Monday with a positive mindset looking forward? Be where your feet are planted. You can’t change the past, but you can impact the future by your actions that you take during that day."

By all accounts, Williams has been even-keeled as he digests the punches he has taken, catalogs the lessons, and puts in the work needed to improve.

"I'd say he has been handling it pretty good," left guard Teven Jenkins said Friday. "His body language around here has been the same. He hasn't shown any frustration. He hasn't shown any wavering to outside noise or anything. I'd say he's handling it pretty good."

Williams will have a good opportunity to showcase the fruits of his labor in Sunday's game against a struggling Indianapolis Colts defense. He doesn't have to light the world on fire, but a game in which he finds the end zone and consistently flashes his rare ability will show the roller coaster is on its way up after an early descent.

Much is expected of him. His expected launch has been stalled by poor pass protection, questionable play-calling, and the vital early NFL lessons.

Williams and the Bears will stay the course, and eventually, it's his talent, combined with the Bears' process, that will get him on the track that Manning, Stafford, Elway, and Stroud found on their own timelines.

"I think he’s been great," wide receiver DJ Moore said. "He hasn’t been vocally frustrated or anything. He’s been coming in and still learning. So waiting to see how he bounces back this week."

We all are.

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