Chicago’s embattled rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has been no stranger to adversity this season. Monday night’s loss to the Vikings essentially added another low point. Chicago Bears fired embattled head coach Matt Eberflus after Week 13. Their decision to promote interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown to the top job seemed logical. His playbook of quick-release passes and directive to run at the first sign of pressure had brought out some remarkable performances of Williams.

But this did not happen on the field. The Bears gained five yards of total offense in the first half of Brown’s Week 14 debut against the San Francisco 49ers. On the way to stopping NFC North rival Minnesota from winning a division title, Chicago’s offense once again shrank. Williams and the Bears’ offense struggled as the line had trouble protecting the number-one pick.

During the fourth quarter, Williams scrambled before throwing a ball deep down the field as he was hit hard by Vikings linebacker Jihad Ward. Williams fell on the turf and remained on his back for a moment. When he finally got up, he moved to the bench, where he did not look very comfortable. And that precisely represented the Bears’ 2024 season.

Williams looked defeated. His capabilities were limited by an offensive line that allowed him little time to throw. Only one of his first-half passes traveled more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. His offense ran 10 plays inside the Minnesota 21-yard line and committed drive-stalling penalties on four of them. In a post-game interview, Williams did not stop from pointing fingers at the offense.

He stood firmly behind interim coach Thomas Brown while subtly calling out the struggling offense. When asked about Brown’s play-calling, the QB said, “He’s calling the game the same way. He’s still getting the plays in fast and calling the same plays he would’ve called. We’ve just got to execute.” This defense of Brown was clear, but it also highlighted systemic issues within the offense. Williams’s remarks reflected his frustration with penalties, lack of discipline, and an offensive line that has failed him repeatedly.

And Williams has every reason to feel frustrated. He’s been sacked more than any other quarterback this season. Often having mere seconds to throw. Against the Vikings, the Bears committed drive-killing penalties on 4 of 10 red zone plays. “Scoring in this league is tough. Winning games is tough. You’ve got to score to be able to win,” he lamented.

Despite his struggles, Williams remains determined. He acknowledged his bruises and contusions, attributing some of the blame to himself as he needs to do a better job of hydration and recovery. “Being able to wake up and be consistent and keep going every day is encouraging for me. We’ve got to keep going,” the rookie said, trying to boost the morale of a team battered by multiple crises.

Thomas Brown after his maiden game as HC admitted they got their “b**ts” kicked against the 49ers. And it seems the Bears are on an endless loop of getting their b**ts kicked. The team’s offensive dysfunction goes beyond Williams. Backup linemen like Kiran Amegadjie and Doug Kramer committed costly errors, while penalties erased scoring opportunities. All these issues left Williams scrambling for solutions, both physically and mentally.

Is Chicago failing another quarterback?

The Bears have a long history of mishandling QB talent. From Justin Fields to Mitchell Trubisky to Jay Cutler. All these highly touted QBs were unable to achieve success in Chicago. And Caleb Williams seems to be the latest victim. His rookie season mirrors the struggles of Justin Fields, who got battered behind a porous line similarly. Speaking about Williams, Troy Aikman said, “You can tell he’s a defeated guy… What you worry about is a rookie quarterback losing confidence.”

However, the Bears’ issues run deeper than that. In their last 3 games, they’ve been outscored 53-0 in the first half. To put it across nicely, that’s absolutely insane! This trend underscores a lack of preparation and leadership, leaving the rookie in an impossible situation. Williams, however, continues to impress with his resilience.

Caleb extended his streak of passes without an interception to 286. A rookie record. But his determination alone can’t mask the team’s broader failures. Chicago’s final 3 games are against the Lions, Seahawks, and Packers. And looking at how things have panned out, there’s little hope for redemption, which only raises serious questions about the franchise’s direction.

As the season winds down, Caleb Williams remains focused on growth while acknowledging that it’s been tumultuous. “The encouraging part is us as a team and myself being able to go through all of what’s happened this year, me not playing well at the beginning of the season and being able to find ways to keep growing and keep progressing with coaches getting fired, being 4-10 right now.” His words offer a glimmer of hope, but unless the Bears address their systemic issues, they risk wasting another generational talent.