Caleb Williams struggles in Bears debut; Chicago rides defense, special teams to win over Titans

Caleb Williams surely didn’t envision this stat line for Chicago Bears debut.

But he’ll take the result.

Williams struggled in his first game as the Bears’ starting quarterback after being selected first overall in April’s NFL Draft. But the Bears secured a 24-17 win on Sunday thanks in large part to big plays on defense and special teams.

The Bears went into halftime trailing 17-3 after struggling to move the ball in the first half. But they blocked a punt early in third quarter and returned it for a touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-10. After a pair of Chicago field goals, a pick-6 thrown by Titans quarterback Will Levis allowed the Bears to take a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter.

The Titans had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth after the Bears punted with 2:20 remaining. But Chicago’s defense kept Tennessee out of the end zone to complete the second-half shutout and secure victory for the Bears.

Caleb Williams’ final line in NFL debut

Williams finished his NFL debut completing 14 of 29 passes for 92 yards. He averaged 3.2 yards per attempt and didn’t throw a touchdown or turn the ball over. He took two sacks for a loss of 29 yards. It was a sobering start in Williams’ first real action against an NFL defense. But the win will surely make the struggles on offense go down considerably easier.

Tennessee’s defense was locked in from the start. Chicago’s first drive ended with a punt after gaining 7 yards on three plays. The Bears picked up a first down on their second drive, but gained just 3 yards on the possession after penalties sent them backward and forced another punt. Chicago’s third drive ended with another punt after four plays and 17 yards.

With the Titans leading 17-0 late in the second quarter, the Bears finally put together a drive deep into Tennessee territory. But Williams’ third-down pass attempt from the Tennessee 6-yard line was batted down at the line, forcing the Bears to settle for a field goal.

Defense, special teams secure Chicago win in second half

The Bears then lost 3 yards before punting on their first possession of the second half. Then Chicago’s defense and special teams came through. The Bears forced a Titans punt on their next possession, setting up some special teams heroics.

Defensive lineman Daniel Hardy broke through the Titans’ line and blocked Ryan Stonehouse‘s punt on fourth-and-15 from the Tennessee 33-yard line. Safety Jonathan Owens scooped it up and returned it 21 yards for Chicago’s first touchdown of the season.

Owens scored the touchdown in his first game with the Bears since joining them from the rival Green Bay Packers in the offseason.

Chicago’s offense, meanwhile, continued to struggle. The Bears tallied a total of 42 yards on their next three possessions but managed two field goals, thanks in part to a Titans fumble that set them up in field-goal range. Then Chicago’s defense took its turn on the scoreboard.

On third-and-6 near midfield, Chicago’s defense got pressure on a blitz of Levis. He unleashed an ill-advised heave toward the sideline that cornerback Tyrique Stevenson intercepted at the Tennessee 43-yard line. He ran untouched to the end zone, and the Bears took a 24-17 lead after a two-point conversion.

Chicago then had a chance to ice the game on offense. The Bears posted their two longest plays of the day with a 14-yard run by DJ Moore and a 19-yard run from D’Andre Swift. But the drive stalled at the Titans’ 44-yard line. The 45-yard drive was Chicago’s longest of the day, but it ended with a punt.

Tennessee got the ball back with 2:20 remaining. But Chicago’s defense came through again, this time with a Jaylon Johnson interception of Levis that sealed Chicago’s victory.

The Bears managed just 148 yards of total offense on the day and converted 2-of-13 third-down attempts. Chicago’s vaunted receiving trio of Moore, Keenan Allen and first-round rookie Rome Odunze tallied a total of 10 catches for 76 yards.

But Chicago forced three Tennessee turnovers and scored on defense and special teams to ensure victory in Williams’ debut. Williams now has a week to work to improve before the Bears visit the Houston Texans in Week 2.