Bear Digest

Caleb Williams and Bears search for way to avoid flat playoff start

After two slow starts against Green Bay and one against the Lions, the Bears offense can't afford another game of fighting from behind in the postseason.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams looks for Kyle Monangai on a pass against the Packers in the first game between the teams.
Caleb Williams looks for Kyle Monangai on a pass against the Packers in the first game between the teams. | Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams used the word coaches don't like to hear, especially when talking about the Bears playing in a game Sunday against the Detroit Lions with a seed at stake.

“I think we just came out flat," Williams said Tuesday at Halas Hall. "We don't have time for that anymore. We'll make sure we don't and that starts with me. That starts with me and we will make sure that that doesn't happen."

It can't happen again because they're in the playoffs now and if it does against Green Bay Saturday night it could mean everyone goes home for the year.

Williams couldn't explain how it could happen, but the truth is their offense hasn't been very good very early in games since the midpoint of the season.

Their last touchdown on an opening drive came on the trick 2-yard pass by DJ Moore to Williams against the Bengals in Week 9. Their own defense has scored more touchdowns on opening drives than the offense since then. T.J. Edwards took a pick-6 back against the 49ers on the first play from scrimmage.

This doesn't mean the offense plays poorly for a full quarter in all of these games. They've outscored opponents 102-61 in first quarters. However, the first drive has become a problem and was again Sunday.

"Went back and watched and just we had MAs (missed assignments),"  Williams said. "We were doing things that we've been pretty good at, I would say. Flags, not converting on third down. We've been pretty solid at those things.

"When you have those verse a team like that, I now they're not in the playoffs, but that's a hell of a team—you get behind and now you’ve got to come back. We couldn't complete the mission at the end.  But with where we're at, I like where we're at. A lot of frustration, a lot of energy going into this game.”

Bears led Packers for one second

The Packers controlled both of the regular-season games, much like the Lions, although one with little possession time. A slow start in those two Packer games left the Bears fighting from behind in both.

In two games they had the lead for one second, which was when DJ Moore caught the 46-yard TD pass in overtime to win on Dec. 20. They trailed for 77:15 of the two games.

The solution simply could be getting off to that fast start on the first drive.

"Creating a spark early, whether it's running the ball, whether it's passing the ball, whether it's me making a play for the guys, starting that early, starting their first quarter, starting out with a scoring drive, three or more," Williams said. "Then putting the defense out there, unless they obviously got us the ball back already.

"That's the mindset. Go out there, start fast and we'll make sure of it.”

Coach Ben Johnson doesn't know if there is a guaranteed easy fix. It’s doing what they do but just doing it better than in the past.

“I don't know that there's a right answer for that," he said. "There's a process I believe in, in terms of how we prepare these guys. I think we’ve got a lot of great professionals, and I think anytime you bring attention to something, they look to fix it and that's what we're doing here this week.”

Perhaps the home crowd can vitalize the Bears for a playoff game. Johnson said he saw something like that happen for the Lions in a 2023 playoff win over the Rams.

“I think our guys are looking forward to this opportunity," Johnson said. "We haven't put together a full 60 minutes really on either side of the ball—I'd say all three phases. I don't think our special teams, particularly that first (Green Bay) game, we were very pleased with our performance there either.

"We get another crack at these guys. It's a good crew. They're very talented. They're well coached and we're just, like I said, we we're really looking forward to an opportunity to go at them again in front of our home crowd."

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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.