The Chicago Bears won Caleb Williams' first start despite poor offensive play, taking down the Titans 24-17. New wide receiver Keenan Allen left the game hobbling, sparking concern among Bears fans. Thankfully, there is no reason to worry about a long-term injury, at least according to fellow wide receiver DJ Moore.
“Yeah, he's just an old man … He's good,” Moore said to the Bears reporters, according to 670 The Score on social media.
Moore and Allen will be the top targets for the first overall pick, Caleb Williams. They were the only players who caught more than one pass on Sunday, combining for seven grabs and 65 yards. The defense and special teams picked up the offense, scoring both touchdowns in the win. Bears fans should be relieved that Allen appears good to go for next week's game.
The Titans lost this game much more than the Bears won it. Next up, the Bears face the Texans who will likely not do that. CJ Stroud shined in their Week 1 win and their home opener on Sunday night should be a raucous atmosphere. The Bears must get great performances from Williams, Allen, and Moore to upset the Texans.
While the Bears did win the game, there is still reason to be concerned that they will not break their playoff drought. What must Caleb Williams do to solidify himself as the starter of the future in Chicago?
Caleb Williams must lead the Bears to a successful season
NFL fans do not have much patience for rookie quarterbacks. With the current state of QB salaries, it is difficult to have sustainable success with a veteran quarterback. The Bears have surrounded Williams with great talent and they should start a competitive window right now. Their offensive performance on Sunday did not hint at that occurring.
Williams threw for 93 yards on 29 attempts in Week 1. While he was missing Allen for parts of the game, it was still a very poor performance. The reason the Bears can be hopeful for this season is that the defense appears to be a difference-making group. They scored two touchdowns and added a punt block score to pull away from the Titans.
The NFC Wild Card picture is very murky this season and got even more confusing with Jordan Love's injury. The Lions are expected to win the NFC North, leaving the Packers and Bears to hang in the Wild Card conversation. These next few weeks are important for the Bears to put distance between themselves and their biggest rivals.
Williams admitted postgame that he was not good enough and acknowledged the mounting expectations for the team. The Bears traded out of the number one pick in 2023 and were awarded the top pick in 2024 due to Bryce Young's struggles with the Carolina Panthers. While they did luck into Williams, the Bears have still put a lot of pressure on the young quarterback.
The Chicago Bears may have won their first game but it did not come without concerns. Keenan Allen appears to have avoided injury but must play at a high level for the Bears to upset the Texans.
