CHGO Digest: Caleb Williams' positive outlook is refreshing despite rocky Bears debut

Good morning, friends!

“If you can win and not play your best, isn’t that a sign of championship football?”

— Alex Brown, CHGO Bears Postgame

Yes, yes it is, Alex Brown.

Probably not exactly how we hoped the Caleb Williams era would get underway in Chicago, but the defense (and special teams) more than made up for the offense’s shortcomings on Sunday.

1-0. Onto Week 2.

— Patrick Norton

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Caleb Williams staying positive despite poor debut

Caleb Williams was not sharp, plain and simple. Williams missed Keenan Allen down the sideline in the first quarter and was caught looking through defenders, resulting in batted balls on multiple occasions. All fixable.

While the win is the most important part of Sunday’s outcome, future wins will come few and far between without significantly improving the offense’s plan of attack, especially if the offensive line struggles to protect Williams going forward.

But if Bears fans are searching for a calming presence ahead of a Week 2 clash with the Houston Texans, look no further than the starting quarterback himself.

• Williams began his postgame press conference praising the defense’s game-reviving effort. When Tyrique Stevenson housed a pick-six on an errant throw from Will Levis, the quarterback matched the vibe at Soldier Field. “I was losing my voice toward the end of the game cheering on my guys,” said Williams. Us, too.
  
• 14/29 for 93 yards, nobody would categorize Sunday’s debut as a positive for the No. 1 pick. But as per usual, Caleb said all the right things. “Don’t care about stats as long as we win.” The stats reflected the offense’s day on the struggle bus, but the outcome didn’t. And the only way to get to 2-0 is by starting 1-0.
  
• Bears fans will have to wait until Week 4 against the Rams to see Caleb Williams’ first touchdown at Soldier Field. But two tough road tests in Houston and Indianapolis stand in the way before the Bears return to the lakefront. How does Williams envision bouncing back? It’s simple. “You expect yourself to go out there and make plays. That didn’t happen today. That’s enough motivation to be better next week.” Back to work.
  

🔎 GO DEEPER | Mark Carman’s first report card of the season following Week 1’s thrilling victory against the Titans.

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Joe’s on Weed St. for Week 3!

Join CHGO’s Adam Hoge, Mark Carman, Greg Braggs, former Chicago Bear Corey Wootton and other diehards for a special CHGO Bears Live Show during the Bears vs. Colts game at Joe’s Bar on Weed Street.

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Mark Sunday down as a massive win for Matt Eberflus

That’s not a game Matt Eberflus’ Bears teams traditionally claw back into and win. Last season’s Week 1 defeat at home to the Green Bay Packers had plenty of fans ready to run the head coach out of town. Like last year, the boo birds were out early at Soldier Field on Sunday.

Those boos turned into raucous cheers on a dime in the third quarter. It’s a miracle what reaching the end zone can do for team and fan morale. Daniel Hardy breaking through the Titans’ line to block Ryan Stonehouse’s punt, and Jonathan Owens’ subsequent scoop-and-score flipped the mood in Chicago in an instant.

• Matt Eberflus’ defense kept the Titans’ offense off the scoreboard in the second half, turning over Will Levis three times. Darrell Taylor flew around the field, sacking Levis twice, including a massive strip-sack in Titans territory in the fourth quarter. Asked what Taylor brought to the table in his debut, Eberflus emphatically said, “Energy.”
  
• Eberflus spent his postgame speech to the locker room praising the team’s ability to remain hungry and confident despite trailing 17-3 at the midway point. “Instead of in the halftime, what was different about this team compared to other teams I’ve been around, there was a lot of complaining and stuff like that in those old locker rooms. It wasn’t like that [on Sunday]. It was ‘WE GOT THIS.”‘
  
• But Eberflus isn’t just coaching the defense. Despite Caleb Williams’ rough outing with the offense, Eberflus was impressed with his demeanor. “[Caleb] never got frustrated.” Sunday was a culture win. The offense was down but picked up in a big way by special teams and the defense. It won’t be long until the offense returns the favor.
  

🔎 GO DEEPER | After the win, Nicholas Moreano spoke to those responsible for the Bears’ first punt-block touchdown return since 2012.

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Roundup: Rizzo returns, Yankees all but end Cubs’ playoff dreams

• Nothing like a 2-4 week to sour the mood in Wrigleyville. After clawing back within three games of the final spot in the wild card, a pair of 1-2 series losses to the Pirates and Yankees just about squandered any hope of pulling off the comeback. Despite the win on Sunday, the Cubs sit five games out with 19 left on the schedule.
  
• The week wasn’t all bad for Cubs fans. After the first no-hitter by Cubs pitching at Wrigley Field since 1972 last Wednesday, the Cubs welcomed back franchise legend and World Series champion first baseman Anthony Rizzo on Friday. Tears flowed as a video tribute honored No. 44 before the first pitch, and Cubs fans couldn’t help but give the fan favorite a standing ovation any time the four-time Gold Glove winner came to the plate.
  

⚾ READ | CHGO’s Jared Wyllys was in the house and captured the scene of the emotional return of the Cubs’ former captain.

Briggs & Brown

🎧 SPOTIFY | APPLE PODCASTS | Lance Briggs & Alex Brown break down Chicago Bears comeback

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Join us for an upcoming CHGO event!

🍻 9/22 | CHGO Bears Watch Party at Joe’s On Weed St. — vs Indianapolis
🍻 9/29 | CHGO Bears Tailgate at Wabash & Cermak! — Week 4 vs. Rams
🍻 10/6 | CHGO Bears Tailgate at Wabash & Cermak! – Week 5 vs. Panthers