It may have taken awhile, but the Chicago Bears' offense and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams finally awakened Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field, coming out on top 24-18.
Well, at least for two drives.
Throughout the first half, the fans grew restless as Williams faced constant pressure and missed some open throws.
But the Bears' offense that was the talk of the offseason -- the theoretical one -- showed up in the second half.
Chicago's first drive of the second half was a 12-play, 74-yard drive that ended in a Williams dart to DJ Moore for a touchdown. The drive featured a good mix of run and pass, some tempo, and no mental miscues.
Their next drive showcased their explosiveness. Williams hit tight end Cole Kmet for a big gain up the seam, and then running back D'Andre Swift ripped off a 36-yard touchdown run that proved the difference in a 24-18 win that brought the Bears' record to 2-2.
Williams finished the day 17-for-23 for 157 yards and one score. Swift rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown while also catching seven passes for 72 yards.
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Here are five takeaways from the big win.
A great game for Williams
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A look at the box score won't wow anyone, but Sunday's game was the best game of Williams' young career.
The No. 1 overall pick did a good job of playing clean, efficient football. He recognized and took the shots downfield when they were presented and quickly hit the checkdown when they didn't.
Williams went 17-for-23 for 157 and one touchdown. He didn't turn the ball over and made two top-level throws -- one for a touchdown to Wide Receiver D.J. Moore and one down the seam to Tight End Cole Kmet to set up a Swift score.
By his own admission, Williams is getting more comfortable and finding a rhythm.
BEAR'S REPORT CARD: Grading Caleb Williams, Bears in much-needed win vs. Rams
Williams and Moore had a miscommunication late in the first half on a pass in the end zone. Moore took accountability for the miscue. The two talked it over at halftime and got on the same page in the second half.
The Bears are still putting all of their pieces together.
Sunday's second half, which saw them use tempo, stay ahead of the sticks, and mix and match personnel, was a vital development and a good sign for what's to come.
Defense does it's thing...again
The Bears' defense kept them in it in the first half, and Williams and the offense finally showed up in the second half to get back to .500 and quiet the questions around them ... at least for one week.
On first-and-10 from their own 20, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford dropped back and was sacked by Sweat, who jarred the ball loose.
In the fourth, the Rams had a chance to drive for the game-winning score, but safety Jaquan Brisker picked off Stafford to secure the win with 56 seconds remaining.
Brisker’s clinching pick felt particularly good since a penalty negated his interception in the end zone in the first half, and he also was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“I owed the team one, just get my mind right, stay locked in, stay focused and try to get the ball at some point today,” said Brisker.
The Bears' offense shows up
After the Rams opened the third quarter with another field goal drive to cut the lead to 10-9, Williams and the offense dusted off their best drive of the season.
The No. 1 overall pick engineered a 12-play, 74-yard drive that saw the Bears use tempo, stay ahead of the sticks, and spread the ball around to different skill players.
The drive ended with Williams throwing a dart to Moore in the back of the end zone for his first-career touchdown at Soldier Field. Moore had a defender draped all over him and did well to secure the pass while getting both feet in bounds.
The Rams responded with a touchdown drive of their own, cutting the lead 17-15 after a failed two-point try. The quick score put the pressure back on Williams and the offense to swing back.
They did.
Williams threw a dot up the seam to tight end Cole Kmet for 22 yards on second-and-10. The Bears went tempo after the completion, and Swift ripped off a 36-yard touchdown run on the next play to give the Bears a 24-15 lead.
That's the Bears' offense people were expecting to start the season.
Where does the coaching stand?
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron found his rhythm in the second half, and the heat should be off him for at least a week.
Head coach Matt Eberflus had no curious challenges or wasted timeouts, and he dialed up the perfect safety blitz in the second half to halt a critical Rams drive.
The 10 penalties are a problem that needs to be cleaned up during the week.
“We’re addressing the issues that need to be addressed,” Eberflus said. “Early on it was getting in and out of the huddle and cadence and making sure we’re doing good there. And then it was distributing the ball to different skill sets. We did that. Now it’s running the football. We did a better job with that today. We’re just addressing the issues. When you’re building chemistry the first time together with a new and young quarterback, I just think that’s a part of growing.”
2-2
Following Sunday's win, the Bears are 2-2. Back to neutral. Ready to enter October with everything in front of them.
"I think really just getting the urgency across to everybody in the building, really," cornerback Jaylon Johnson said after the win about the message this week. "To the players, coaches, I mean, there's a strong urgency right now. We can't wait and say, 'Oh, well, we have time.' No. We'll never have this team like this again. I think we just need to take advantage of opportunities. Get on the same page, communicate, really have eye-to-eye communication, and just go out there and find ways to win.
Next up, the Bears host the fourth place Carolina Panthers, who are now 1-3 after Sunday's 24-34 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The game kicks off at 12 p.m. Sunday at Soldier Field.
