ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Caleb Williams showed signs of promise in the No. 1 draft pick’s preseason debut, overseeing a pair of drives ending in field goals in the Chicago Bears’ 33-6 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
The 22-year-old out of Southern California completed four of seven attempts for 95 yards, and also converted a third-and-9 by bolting out of the pocket for a 13-yard gain. Though he wasn’t perfect — Williams was late in nearly throwing an interception on a play wiped out by a Bills defensive penalty away from the ball — the quarterback oversaw the Bears gaining a combined 152 yards and seven first downs on 20 plays over two possessions.
The game was decided a minute into the fourth quarter when Bears linebacker Micah Baskerville stepped in front of Shane Buechele’s pass intended for Frank Gore Jr. and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown to put Chicago up 19-6. Velus Jones scored on a 4-yard run in the third quarter, and Ian Wheeler scored on runs from 7 and 8 yards in the final six minutes.
For Buffalo, Josh Allen went 2 for 3 for 22 yards, and also had a 7-yard run in being limited to playing the first quarter in the Bills preseason opener. Though the Bills had the ball, Allen gave way to backup Mitch Trubisky to open the second quarter on a drive that ended with Tyler Bass making a 24-yard field goal to cut Chicago’s lead to 6-3.
Bass also hit a 49-yard attempt. Buffalo was limited to 200 yards offense, and crossed midfield just twice on 11 possessions.
Bills starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver appeared to hurt his leg on Chicago’s first offensive series and did not return. The team did not provide injury updates.
Otherwise, Williams was the focus after he and the starters were held out from the Bears’ preseason-opening and storm-shortened 21-17 win over Houston in the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1. One reason for sitting Williams was coach Matt Eberflus’ concerns in having the youngster play in front of an injury-depleted offensive front.
Of the projected starters, right guard Nate Davis (groin) was the only one who sat out on Saturday.
Already in line to become the Bears’ second rookie quarterback since the NFL merger in 1970 to start a season, Williams showed no signs of having issues with his cadence or getting in an out of the huddle efficiently as he experienced at times during training camp.
As for his arm, Williams showed zip and accuracy on his first attempt by completing a 12-yard pass to a tightly covered DJ Moore to convert third and 12. His longest completion was a 42-yarder off a short dump over the middle to running back D’Andre Swift. Williams also completed a 26-yard pass to Cole Kmet in which the quarterback faked a handoff left, and rolled to his right and, on the run, hit the tight end along the sideline.
Chicago’s opening drive stalled at Buffalo’s 12 following three straight runs, and the Bears settling for Cairo Santos’ 30-yard field goal. The second drive ended at Buffalo’s 15, after Williams was under pressure and over-threw fellow rookie Rome Odunze in the right corner of the end zone.
Williams’ two other incompletions were not on the quarterback. Kmet dropped an easy pass, and Moore made a sliding catch only to have the bar jarred loose by a defender.
Pregame meeting
Williams was coming out of the tunnel for pre-game stretching when he encountered Allen heading to the Bills locker room, and the two exchanged a handshake.
Up Next
Bears: Host the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, Aug. 17.
Bills: At the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, Aug. 17.
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