Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams loses to Washington’s Jayden Daniels, Hail Mary Pass

Former USC Trojans star Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears traveled to Landover, Maryland to take on a fellow rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. The rookie quarterbacks were the first two picks of the 2024 NFL Draft and they have quickly made the transition to the league. Due to increasing expectations due to their great play, the game was converted into the National Game of the Week.

After Williams the Chicago bears When Daniels took a 15-12 lead with less than thirty seconds left, Daniels responded in the most unlikely way imaginable. The match ended with an unlikely Hail Mary Washington commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels to wide receiver Noah Brown as time expired, and the Commanders won 18-15.

On a night that was meant to be a showcase for two of the up-and-coming young quarterbacks in the National football competitionboth franchises’ defenses rose to the occasion and turned the game into a trench warfare slugfest. Points were hard to come by in this game, and as much as people would like to boil it down to rookie quarterbacks having a bad day, which they did, it’s more the result of two very talented defenses operating at maximum capacity.

Former USC Trojans star Caleb Williams struggled in this match from the opening whistle. After what was his best game as a pro in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars, it was followed by perhaps the worst performance of his young career. Williams sailed a few paces too early and never got into the rhythm again. Most important was the Commander’s pass rush, which dominated for three and a half quarters.

Williams had 36 passing yards entering the fourth quarter, but what’s important to note is that he never committed a serious error. He never threw the untimely interception. He never tried to be Superman and suffered an untimely fumble. He took his lumps, and because the defense played as well as they did, the Bears still had a chance. Here Williams showed his best.

Trailing 12-7, Williams led the Bears’ offense down the field twice, making throw after throw and pouring in a pair of runs to keep the chains moving. The pocket consciousness was on display; the arm angles flashed and the improvisational ability to extend plays and complete passes down the field. On a day where he struggled mightily with poor pass protection and questionable play calling, he never broke.

Williams may have lost the battle against Daniels today, but he continues to add a foundation of traits that will pay off over time. The matchups weren’t exactly what they were cracked up to be, but the drama was plentiful in the end. Williams is doing well.