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Right before Chicago’s bye week, it looked as if Caleb Williams had turned a corner. It looked as if everything was coming together for the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft.
These days, not so much. And that’s a major issue for the Bears going into the most difficult part of their schedule.
Playing behind a patchwork offensive line, Williams was sacked nine times and passed for just 120 yards during Sunday’s 19-3 loss to the lowly New England Patriots. The Bears went 1 for 14 on third down and finished with just 142 yards in their third consecutive loss.
“We have to do a better job, starting with us, starting with myself, at situational ball, negative plays and things like that,” Williams said. “When you’re good at not having negative plays, when you’re good at executing, when you’re good at executing situational ball, you’re a tough team to beat.”
Chicago (4-5) failed to score a touchdown in back-to-back games for the first time since December 2004. It has scored a total of 27 points during its slide.
'The offense has to change'
During a media availability after the game, when Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was asked what he was accountable for, he had a simple reply: "the whole thing."
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"The whole operation of it," Eberflus said. "Offense, defense kicking. That's the job of the head coach."
When it comes to breaking out of the offensive funk, Eberflus said everything is on the table — including having someone other than offensive coordinator Shane Waldron call the plays.
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“We’ve got to take a good hard look at everything that we’re doing,” Eberflus said.
Former Chicago Bears coach Dave Wannstedt said Eberflus ought to sit in on the team's offensive meetings this week if he wants to see change.
"I would go in those offensive meetings," Wannstedt said. "I would sit in every meeting this week -- players, coaches, and say, 'This is what I want to do. You guys tell me how were going to do this.'"
With Williams sacked nine times in Sunday's game, Wannstedt added that the offensive "has to change."
"Whether it's Waldron, or let someone else call the plays, that's a tough one," Wannstedt said. "But something needs to happen. Otherwise if nothing changes, you can expect the same results."
What about Caleb Williams?
Williams, who turns 23 on Nov. 18, dropped his first NFL matchup with each of the two quarterbacks that were taken right after him in the draft. The Bears lost 18-15 at Washington on Oct. 27 on Jayden Daniels’ last-second Hail Mary, and Drake Maye directed New England to its third win of the season.
Chicago had won three in a row before its current slide. Williams completed 74% of his passes for 687 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception during the win streak. The promising stretch culminated with Williams throwing for four TDs in a 35-16 victory over Jacksonville.
The Bears had their open week after defeating the Jaguars in London on Oct. 13. Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, it looks as if Williams and company lost their way.
“We’ve got to as a collective offense do a better job of sustaining drives and those type of things will come if we’re more efficient on offense,” tight end Cole Kmet said.
Williams has completed 50.5% of his passes for 468 yards in the past three games. He has no TD passes and no interceptions during the losing streak, and he has been sacked 18 times.
“Caleb’s strong. He’s strong inside. He’s strong outside. He’s a strong individual,” Eberflus said. “And he’s been through adversity. And he knows how to do this, he knows how to get through adversity by pulling together.”
The adversity for Chicago at the moment includes a rash of injuries with its offensive line. The Bears played without Braxton Jones (knee), Kiran Amegadjie (calf) and Darnell Wright (knee). Nate Davis was inactive after experiencing some back tightness, and Teven Jenkins left in the first half with an ankle injury.
Amid all those injuries on the offensive line, Chicago is heading into a brutal last part of its schedule. Jordan Love and Green Bay are in town next Sunday. The Bears also have two games left against Detroit and Minnesota, along with a trip to San Francisco and a home date against Seattle.
“I think us, as an offense, you know, we do have to find it right now here in this instance just because we’re going, we’re getting close to, and it starts this week, playing teams like Green Bay and Detroit and Vikings and all of that,” Williams said.
Sunday, the Chicago Bears will take on the Green Bay Packers at home, with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m.
