Chicago Bears Notes: More From The 33-6 Win vs. the Bills (2024)

Between the Bears and the Olympics, I can’t remember the last time I had a 24-hour run like this with high-quality appointment television featuring sports watching. Oh my!

How about a collection of takeaways from the Chicago Bears’ preseason win against the Buffalo Bills that were left on the editing table? Does that sound good to you? I sure hope so. If not, I’ve also got some random NFL notes from around the league.

There are obvious caveats of this being an exhibition game, but rookie quarterback Caleb Williams looks comfortable in the pocket. I don’t know if he has full command of things just yet. And I don’t expect rookies to have a full grasp of things after one preseason game, but Caleb looks like he is in control. Sometimes, looking like you know what you’re doing is half the battle. I’ll be looking forward to his next game to see if he still has that same vibe.

QB1’s throwing velocity stood out to me yesterday. Jay Cutler still has the strongest arm I’ve ever seen in a Bears starting quarterback. But Caleb Williams throws the ball with a noticeable zip. In baseball terms, it reminds me of a guy who paints corners at 95-97 mph. Sure, there are guys who throw harder. However, Williams appears to have the accuracy to go with more than enough velocity to make tough throws. It stinks that we have to wait six more days until we get to see him throw again. Sigh.

TAPE TALK: Caleb Williams’ Preseason Debut

Snapshots of Bears rookies in action:

Lookin' good, rooks 🤩 pic.twitter.com/CHEGSU9nny
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 11, 2024

The stat line for rookie defensive end Austin Booker: 4 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 tackles-for-loss, 3 quarterback hits. I know that we’re supposed to see Booker as a developmental project. But I am not opposed to throwing the Day 3 pick out at defensive end opposite of Montez Sweat in obvious pass-rushing situations. Booker has some moves (that spin was nifty) and I’d like to see if he’s got more in his bag.

It is a small sample, but I liked what the first-team offensive line (Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, Coleman Shelton, Matt Pryor, Darnell Wright) looked like on Saturday. There was more good than bad, in my opinion. I especially liked that Coleman Shelton looked like an acceptable center. Maybe he should be the starting center and we should be done with any discussion otherwise. Let Caleb build a rapport with one guy, then deploy Ryan Bates as a backup at both guard spots (and center if necessary).

This bold take is based on a brief number of snaps: Matt Pryor can hold down the fort for a short amount of time while the Bears’ top option at guard is out of the lineup. The team probably thinks that, too. Otherwise, why sign the guy as a free agent?

Ian Wheeler (5 carries, 43 yards, 2 touchdowns) is positioning himself to be the player whose news of being left off the season-opening 53-player roster bums me out momentarily, only to feel a sense of relief that he snuck onto the practice squad. Wheeler’s running style is aesthetically pleasing to me and would like to see more of it —perhaps in the return game.

Chicago Bears Notes: More From The 33-6 Win vs. the Bills (3)

Chicago’s backfield is crowded with D’Andre Swift, Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, Travis Homer, Velus Jones Jr., and Ian Wheeler taking up space. The Bears aren’t going to carry all of those backs. Whichever back has the most special teams ability figures to be the one who makes it onto the roster. So keep an eye on those special teams units over the next two weeks.

On a similar wavelength: I’m OK being done with the Velus Jones Jr. return specialist experiment. I felt that way last night, slept on it, and still feel the same today. Maybe this is an overreaction. Perhaps I am triggered knowing that Velus muffed a kick in Preseason Week 1 in each of the last two years. Or it is possible that it is time to let VJJ focus on other football jobs he might be better suited for on this team.

A question I’d like an answer to: Do the Bears have five starting-caliber cornerbacks? Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, and Kyler Gordon are obviously a “yes” for me. But Terell Smith? Jaylon Jones? Those guys have flashed enough to make me think that the Bears have two cornerbacks on their bench that could start for a good chunk of the league.

OPE! This JJ McCarthy throw was intercepted by the Raiders:

Jacked! 😤#LVvsMIN | 📺 FOX 5 pic.twitter.com/HEqRcXP2u6
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) August 10, 2024

The Minnesota Vikings rookie QB finished with 188 passing yards after completing 11 of 17 passes. McCarthy did bounce back to throw a pair of touchdowns. And the Vikings won the game. It’ll be curious to see if McCarthy can play his way into a starting gig that is currently being handed to Sam Darnold.

Chase Daniel breaks down Justin Fields’ debut with the Steelers:

Justin Fields QB Breakdown: Too Many Mistakes
-2 fumbled snaps
-2 killer sacks#HereWeGo https://t.co/X9l3CjB21n pic.twitter.com/KrPYEid3sB
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) August 10, 2024

Fields still has two more preseason games to prove himself. But I feel as if he has some heavy lifting to do in order to get onto a path in which he can play 51 percent of the snaps in Pittsburgh, which would net the Bears a fourth-round pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

MORE: How Did Justin Fields Look in His Pittsburgh Steelers Debut?

Jameis Winston is going to have a lengthy NFL career as backup QB/hype speech specialist:

Another all-time pregame speech from Jameis Winston 🔥 @Jaboowins pic.twitter.com/dle0Dy0Jvs
— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024

BLEACHER NATION ON X: Bears | Cubs | Bulls | Blackhawks

The Chicago Cubs and White Sox played four of the weirdest, most tension-filled ballgames you’ll see over the course of a regular season. And the Cubs won all four of ’em:

Wake Up and Watch the Cubs Sweep the White Soxhttps://t.co/4hR0RBmwiH pic.twitter.com/xkx7b1K1wK
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) August 11, 2024

Ranking the Chicago Bulls building blocks. (BN Bulls)

Over in Hawkeytown, Tab looks at some of the fascinating Chicago Blackhawks fantasy projections.

written by

Luis C. Medina

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

Chicago Bears Notes: More From The 33-6 Win vs. the Bills (2024)

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