Caleb Williams made his first start of the preseason for the Chicago Bears on Saturday. The Bears traveled to play the Buffalo Bills for their second preseason game. The Bears dominated the Bills throughout the game, and Williams and the offense got off to a fast start in the first quarter.
Here are three studs and two duds from the Bears’ 33-6 win over the Bills
Caleb Williams
Williams stole the show against the Bills. Williams and the offense had a bad week of practice leading up to Saturday’s game, but the momentum of the poor practice on Thursday didn’t bleed into Williams’ performance against the Bills.
Williams finished the afternoon 4/7, passing for 95 yards before he was benched at the end of the first quarter. (He was on pace for a 400-yard passing game.) His first completion of the day came on a third-down pass to DJ Moore.
Caleb Williams’ first completion. A dart to DJ Moore on third down. The #Bears got a first down on the play. pic.twitter.com/3yciVKBvRD
— Jordan Sigler (@JordanSig) August 10, 2024
Williams wasn’t perfect. He held on to the ball too long on the Bears’ first pass play, resulting in a holding penalty. He also severely underthrew Rome Odunze on a play that should have been picked off by a Bills defender at the Chicago 20-yard line.
However, he showed why the Bears took him No. 1 overall in April. He threw a lovely ball to Cole Kmet out of the bootleg for a first down. He also improvised on a short throw to D’Andre Swift, resulting in a 42-yard play.
Austin Booker
The defensive line came to play in Buffalo. The backup defensive line didn’t play well against the Houston Texans last week. They played much better against the Bills.
The defense recorded eight sacks against the Bills. Rookie defensive end Austin Booker ate against a weak Bills’ offensive line. He recorded 2.5 sacks and five total tackles.
Micah Baskerville
Baskerville is on the bubble to make the 53-man roster as a linebacker. According to Adam Jahns with The Athletic, he’s had a solid camp, and could take Noah Sewell’s job this season because the second-year linebacker has missed practice this summer due to injury.
Baskerville made an impact play on Saturday, when he intercepted third-string quarterback Shane Buechele and ran the ball back for a 53-yard pick six.
.@Mikeyytb TO THE HOUSE
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/Mg0xOU0V6W
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 10, 2024
Plays like that are how to make the roster.
Chicago Bears duds
Velus Jones Jr.
The Bears moved Jones to running back this week. He used his speed to beat the defenders to the edge on a four-yard rushing touchdown.
Why is he a dud?
Jones stumbled over his own feet on one of his carries.
Rough rep for Velus Jones Jr. at running back. The Bears have been trying him at a new position. #Bears pic.twitter.com/Zz1iIeE3Ce
— Jordan Sigler (@JordanSig) August 10, 2024
He also muffed a kickoff a return. Jones recovered the ball, but that’s not the point. In year three, he’s still a liability at the only part of his game he’s supposed to be a pro at.
Khalil Herbert
Herbert could have had a better day rushing. The Bears operated out of the shotgun for most of the first quarter when he played, and he didn’t seem to function well in it. Herbert finished with 31 yards on nine rushes, averaging 3.4 yards per rush.
He had one nice carry for 14 yards. Other than that rush, he wasn’t effective with the ball in his hands.
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Chicago Bears’ undrafted rookie has huge day in win over Bills
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