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The good, the bad, and the ugly from Caleb Williams' 2025 preseason debut

Caleb Williams came out firing in his first preseason action of the 2025 NFL season.
Pete Martuneac|
David Banks-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears fans heaved a collective sigh of relief on Sunday night. Second-year quarterback Caleb Williams made his preseason debut after being held out of the opener, and he torched the Buffalo Bills on his first drive. He went five-for-six for 97 passing yards and a touchdown, racking up a perfect 158.3 passer rating. After a second drive that seemed to be far more conservative with the play calling, Williams' night was over. He completed six of 10 passes for 107 yards and a TD.

We didn't get to see much of Williams on Sunday night, but here's what we can take away from his limited action.

The Good: Playing on time and in structure

More important than Williams' stats was the way he actually looked on the field. All offseason, the biggest question mark on his projections for 2025 has been whether he can rein in the 'hero ball' exploits and play on time and in structure. Ben Johnson's complex offensive schemes rely heavily on the quarterback getting the ball to exactly where it needs to be at exactly the right time.

While this question has not yet received a final answer, Williams certainly looked the part of a quarterback who can play the role of the traditional drop-back passer in his preseason debut. The ball was coming out of his hands quick, his footwork was clean, and he didn't take any sacks.

The Bad: Midrange accuracy

We haven't even gotten to the ugly yet, and I'm already having to nitpick Williams' game to find flaws. One thing that was definitely bad, however, was a pass to rookie Colston Loveland that was very nearly too high. Loveland leaped and extended his arms to reel it in and pick up the first down, but the six-foot-six tight end should not have had to go to such lengths to make the catch.

The ugly: Just how wrong the critics were

Hopefully, the praise that Williams will get this week from NFL media and analysts will be just as loud as the disrespect. Williams silenced the critics with a fantastic debut, and anyone who spent the last week and a half delivering Caleb Williams hot takes should have an emphatic statement of support for the young quarterback ready to go.

Caleb William
David Banks-Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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