The Chicago Bears rookie quarterback started Monday night’s season opener with precision that had fans dreaming of a new era.
Caleb Williams completed his first 10 passes against the Minnesota Vikings and found the end zone early.
The hot streak didn’t last long.
Williams went from 11-of-13 to finishing 21-of-35 for just 60% completion.
The drop-off became more noticeable as the game progressed.
Of his 14 incomplete passes, at least 10 appeared to be on the quarterback rather than defensive pressure or receiver issues.
Former Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long recently broke down Williams’ performance on CBS Sports HQ, pointing to a specific area that needs attention.
“Nobody watched more Caleb Williams going into this season than Ben Johnson. And when he said his benchmark, his goal, for the quarterback this season is 70% completion percentage. We could see why that was the point of emphasis last night. […] Caleb was forced to make plays down the field and that’s where the accuracy issues showed their head multiple times in big-time spots in the game,” Long said.
"The accuracy issues showed their head multiple times in big time spots of the game, that's an area of concern."@Ky1eLong speaks on Caleb Williams' performance last night in loss to Vikings. pic.twitter.com/n0C7B5NVyo
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 9, 2025
The early success came largely on short passes and checkdowns.
Many of those completions were there because offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had Williams positioned perfectly.
When Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores adjusted his scheme, Williams struggled with deeper throws in crucial moments.
Williams had only two instances where he held the ball with an open receiver available.
The other eight incompletions were inaccurate throws to open targets.
The concerning part wasn’t how Williams started the game.
He looked calm and accurate through the first quarter.
The problem was how quickly his rhythm disappeared when Minnesota forced him to beat them vertically.
This pattern echoes struggles from his college career.
Williams could deliver perfect stretches of play only to follow them with periods where nothing seemed to connect.
NEXT: Nick Wright Has Honest Admission About Caleb Williams