Caleb Williams' NFL debut is in the rearview mirror and the 2024 No. 1 pick knows he can do better.
His Chicago Bears won 24-17 over the Tennessee Titans but his individual statistics were not a huge reason why. Following the game, he told reporters that he was happy with the result but focused on individually improving.
"Obviously, it's great to get this first win," Williams said, per Courtney Cronin of ESPN. "We're all excited. Went to the locker room, celebrated. I sat down, enjoyed the moment, just watching all the guys celebrate understanding that I need to be better, I will be better."
He acknowledged that he missed some passes and stressed that the offense would focus on being more efficient going forward.
Williams went 14-of-29 for 93 passing yards while taking two sacks for 29 yards. He did rush for 15 yards but he was not the driver of the victory. That instead was the defense and special teams, which added two touchdowns, and kicker Cairo Santos, who knocked through three field goals.
After the game, Williams made it known that he doesn't focus on individual numbers.
"I don't care about stats," Williams said, per NFL.com's Eric Edholm.
This weak debut would likely be more of a talking point if the Bears had lost but it's still a bit concerning due to his significant hype and a strong preseason. Still, he became the first quarterback since David Carr to win his debut after being selected with the No. 1 pick.
He will look to build on the performance and get used to NFL speed in Week 2 when Chicago takes on the Houston Texans.
