Caleb Williams is back for the Bears, and he came back with a vengeance, tossing for 305 yards and a touchdown with zero picks in a 31-23 win against the Falcons. After being out for three weeks with a hamstring injury suffered way back in Week 2, Williams didn’t just step back onto the field, he absolutely exploded, showing exactly why he’s considered one of the most dynamic talents in the league.
Williams Was a Kinetic Energy Machine
The dude was a ball of kinetic energy before, during, and after the game. He threw air punches, jogged in place on the sideline, and even pulled a WWE-style pose after hitting Colston Loveland for the game’s first touchdown. Talk about making an entrance! He started the game with an insane 12 straight completions and helped the Bears rack up 14 points before the Falcons even had a positive rushing yard. Rome Odunze was hyped, saying Williams was “connecting everywhere. People were making plays all over the field. That’s when our offense is really clicking. That’s why we want to be in that flow-state mode. And we were in there today.” Odunze also pointed out Williams’ uncanny ability to stay poised in tough moments, get the play calls out, and then turn around and “run 22 miles per hour, past 300-pound D-linemen.” That’s just wild, man. No wonder Odunze said, “It’s incredible. That’s what makes him, him. I’m super excited to have him back.” The crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was basically Soldier Field South, roaring for Williams the whole game, so loud the Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski said they had to go on a silent count. That’s some serious visiting fan takeover right there.
Still Some Bears Flaws to Work Out
Even with Caleb Williams tearing it up, it wasn’t a perfect day. The Bears controlled the clock big time, doubling up Atlanta’s time of possession 40:08 to 19:52, and were up 31-7 heading into the fourth quarter. But they shot themselves in the foot with 12 penalties for a whopping 133 yards, more than 100 yards worse than Atlanta. And after building that massive lead, Michael Penix Jr. led the Falcons to two quick touchdowns in four minutes, cutting the lead to eight. Atlanta even got the ball back with 3:34 left, only down by eight, before a Penix fumble saved the day. So yeah, the game ended up closer than it should have been. It’s clear that even with Williams back and playing out of his mind, this team still has some stuff to clean up. They’re a better team with him, no doubt, but those sloppy penalties gotta go if they want to hit that next level.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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