The Chicago Bears were victorious in Week 1. However, it wasn’t the game many envisioned.
Caleb Williams had a lackluster beginning to his NFL career, but that didn’t give head coach Matt Eberflus any reason to worry about the direction of this football team or his rookie quarterback.
Bears HC Matt Eberflus Discusses Week 1 Victory Over Titans
Eberflus shows confidence in Caleb Williams
There were high expectations for the Bears’ rookie quarterback heading into Week 1, but coach Eberflus understands how it goes when developing a rookie quarterback.
“As he grows and develops, we just got to keep playing well around [Caleb Williams],” said Eberflus. “He’s going to learn a lot in these first three or four games in terms of the NFL looks, the NFL schemes, and all of the things we have to do.”
In this matchup, Chicago’s defense did a lot of the heavy lifting, forcing three turnovers and scoring on two of them.
The Bears didn’t score an offensive touchdown in Williams’ rookie debut, but Eberflus understands the ups and downs that come with starting a rookie quarterback, especially in their first game at the NFL level.
“When you start a rookie quarterback, which we’re doing, he’s going to have ups and downs. We just have to play well around him.”
Chicago Earned Team Win Against Titans
The Bears went into halftime with just three points, having punted on three of their first four drives.
And while the Bears got a good look at their rookie punter Tory Taylor, coach Eberflus attributed this game to being a team win.
Eberflus explained how Chicago must be a good team in general, not just putting pressure on their rookie quarterback to lead them to victory.
“You just got to be good as a team,” said Eberflus. “It’s never just about one side or one person. It’s about us being able to figure it out during the game and figure out our winning formula for that particular day.”
With the strong defensive performance in the second half, it appears Eberflus and the coaching staff found the proper adjustments to walk out of Week 1 undefeated.
Williams Expects Better Performances To Come
Following coach Eberflus, Williams took the podium to discuss his rookie debut with the Chicago media and how he felt the game went.
His spirits were high, showing there was no feeling bad for himself following a victory in his first regular-season start.
“We’re going to enjoy this win, and then from there, get back into it and get ready to go,” said Williams. “We’re going to be better next week.
The Bears travel to Houston to take on the Texans next week as Williams and the Chicago offense look to learn from their Week 1 struggles.