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Schrock’s Report Card: Grading Caleb Williams, Bears in loss vs. Texans originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
HOUSTON, Texas — Sunday night’s game in Houston felt like a blowout. Based on everything your eyes told you, star quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Texans should have rolled the Bears up and tossed them out with the trash outside NRG Stadium.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears’ offense sputtered again. There was no run game, no vertical threat in the passing game, and the pass protection was dreadful. The Bears should have been blown out Sunday night.
But that wasn’t the case.
Instead, the Bears’ vaunted defense hung tough, flustered Stroud and gave Williams and the offense chance after chance to click and win the game.
But Williams couldn’t deliver, and the Bears fell to the Texans 19-13. It was a game that could have been a statement about what’s possible this season. It could have been a resounding road win over a legitimate Super Bowl that would have signaled the Bears’ contention window is open.
Instead, it was a reminder of how hard life can be with a rookie quarterback, especially when you can’t run the ball, can’t protect him, and can’t get out of your own way.
Here’s a report with high marks for one side of the ball and a lot of red ink for the other:
Passing offense
Williams started out clean. He went 5-for-5 for 55 yards on the Bears’ opening drive, showing improved accuracy and rhythm.
But things quickly devolved as Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans fired blitz after blitz at the Bears’ rookie quarterback.
Per Next Gen Stats, the Texans blitzed Williams on 41.7 percent of his dropbacks Sunday night. Williams went just 3-for-12 for 15 yards and an interception when blitzed.
On the night, Williams was sacked seven times, hit 11, and pressured 36 times. The Texans pressured Williams on 23 of 48 dropbacks.
“It’s nobody’s direct fault,” left tackle Braxton Jones said after the game about the Bears’ pass protection issues. “We all want to be better…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/schrocks-report-card-grading-caleb-055126009.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2024-09-16 05:51:26
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