Bear Digest

Ben Johnson cites Bears blocking failure as Caleb Williams' problem

Tracking the Bears at camp: While Caleb Williams has had problems so far, it might be the result of both the pass rush and failures up front says coach Ben Johnson.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams has had to stay on the move much of the time at practice as blocking hasn't held up.
Caleb Williams has had to stay on the move much of the time at practice as blocking hasn't held up. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Another day and another practice with measured, small advancement from the Ben Johnson offense and quarterback Caleb Williams.

At least he hasn't been throwing interceptions since the weekend break.

So much emphasis has been put on Johnson and Williams regarding the lack of immediate offensive success in practice but there is another side. That is Dennis Allen's defensive scheme and the coordinator himself are making it tough to get off passes.

Johnson points out that everything his players on offense have said about matching up against their new defense is true. It's difficult.

Johnson points out that everything his players on offense have said about matching up against their new defense is true.
It's difficult.

“Another coach told me yesterday, they said, Dennis has a little ego too, now," Johnson said. "He didn't come into camp looking to get steamrolled at all."

After media laughter subsided, Johnson added, "He's looking to make a name for the defense. He's bringing it, he's bringing it left and right. It's a compliment when all those defenders talk about how complex it is because yeah, we see it on offense, too. It's hard."

While all the talk has been about Williams possibly being forced to "drink from the firehose" too much as the whole offense hits him in the face at once, and that he simply isn't up to running this attack, the real truth might be he hasn't had time to set up and throw.

At least it's partly true.

This is a difficult thing for the Bears to face considering how they thought they improved the offensive line, but it appears to be the truth.

"We're having a difficult time in protection right now. I think that's probably what stands out to me from the first five practices. We need to do a better job giving our quarterbacks a clean pocket."
Bears coach Ben Johnson

"We're having a difficult time in protection right now," Johnson admitted. "I think that's probably what stands out to me from the first five practices. We need to do a better job giving our quarterbacks a clean pocket.


"We're having to work the scramble drill a little bit more than we would like."

An example: Tuesday's practice ended with the usual two-minute drill. It started at the 47 and Williams got flushed out of the pocket on first down, second down and third down, throwing incomplete each time under duress.

It appeared he probably held too long on one play but on the other two he had no time to set up before fleeing.

On fourth down he completed a pass, apparently short of the sticks.


"It's really a credit to DA," Johnson said. "I think I said it to the staff on the day off a couple days ago, what's been most glaring to me from the springtime to those first four days of practice has been how much tighter our coverage has been.


"The corners, the safeties, the linebackers, it takes time to get this down and what they're looking to do. Yet they are significantly smaller windows than what there were in the (OTAs)."


There is hope for the Bears offense when they combine the running game with the passing attack in the future in game conditions.

A lot of the dominance the defense has shown in practices has been with dime defensive looks. Allen loves him some defensive backs.

They're not going to see that type of look in games all the time and if they do, switching off to runs or setting up screens to backs can overpower dime looks.

The DBs like the look with all the dime scheming. It gives more of them the chance to play.


"Schematically it just allows us to match up better, fit the look that we want to get or whatever we think the offense is trying to do matchup wise," nickle back Kyler Gordon said.



Still Behind

Shortly after Johnson had said wide receiver Luther Burden lined up wrong in walk-throughs and was obviously behind in preparation, it went from bad to worse.

During one portion of Tuesday's practice Johnson hollered loudly at Burden, and then removed him from the team portion during that sequence. He later returned and wasn't scolded again.



Efficiency Expert


Williams was hitting the shorter routes and getting the ball out on time prior to the final two-minute drill.
In fact, he actually had the bomb to DJ Moore on play-action early on in 11-on-11 but a defensive pass interference penalty on Gordon at about the 12-yard line was flagged after Moore was knocked to the ground. Williams also threw maybe the best pass of practice to Moore, a short timing route to the sideline.



Injury Update

Center Doug Kramer returned to practice after an injury scare last Saturday, and snapped for the second team in much of Tuesday's work. ... Defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon left Monday's practice with trainers but apparently was not injured as he practiced on Tuesday. ... Guard Bill Murray joined the list of those out on Tuesday. Cornerback Zah Frazier (personal) and defensive tackle Shemar Turner (ankle) are still out. Turner's injury is bad enough it could keep him away a while. Brad Biggs of the Tribune reported he could miss four weeks.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.