Caleb Williams Leads Bears to 24-17 Comeback Win in NFL Debut
With the game ball tucked securely in his left arm, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams acknowledged the roaring crowd at Soldier Field with his signature Bear claw as he emerged from the tunnel. The excitement was palpable, and the fans’ energy set the stage for Chicago’s 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Despite becoming the first No. 1 overall draft pick quarterback to win his debut start since David Carr in 2002, Williams’ performance left him far from satisfied.
Williams completed 14 of 29 passes for just 93 yards. He didn’t throw a touchdown or an interception but fumbled once and was sacked twice. His accuracy was a concern, as he missed on 31% of his throws, averaging only 3.2 yards per attempt.
“We want to be the most efficient team, myself included,” said Williams after the game. “I didn’t perform the way I wanted to. I missed a few throws that I usually hit, and it’s frustrating. But getting the first win is huge. We celebrated in the locker room, but I know I need to be better, and I will be.”
The Bears struggled offensively in the first half, nearly facing a shutout until Cairo Santos drilled a 24-yard field goal, putting Chicago on the board for the first time in the 2024 season. Santos later connected on two more field goals, a 50-yarder and a 48-yarder, after Chicago’s special teams flipped the game’s momentum.
According to ESPN Analytics, Chicago had just a 14% chance of winning before a crucial play in the third quarter. With 3:19 left in the period, Bears defensive end Daniel Hardy blocked a Titans punt, and safety Jonathan Owens scooped up the ball and dashed 21 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Titans’ lead to 17-10.
“I didn’t know who blocked it,” Owens admitted. “I just heard it, saw the ball bouncing, and took off. It was instinctive—one moment the ball’s there, and the next, I’m running full speed to the end zone. It didn’t even feel real.”
Chicago’s defense, the top-ranked unit against the run in 2023, struggled early against the Titans. Tennessee rushed for 115 yards in the first half alone. However, the Bears clamped down in the second half, limiting Tennessee to just 25 yards on the ground.
A pivotal moment came after a strip-sack fumble by Chicago’s defense led to another Santos field goal, trimming the Titans’ lead to 17-16. Shortly after, on a third-and-6 from Tennessee’s 45-yard line, the Bears defense applied pressure, forcing Titans quarterback Will Levis into a desperation pass. Chicago cornerback Tyrique Stevenson intercepted the ball and ran it back 43 yards for a pick-six, giving the Bears their first lead of the day.
Williams then contributed his first points on a successful 2-point conversion, hitting running back D’Andre Swift to extend Chicago’s lead to 24-17.
“We’re always looking to spark the team,” said Stevenson. “Caleb’s going to have his ups and downs as a rookie. This may not have been the game he wanted, but we’ve got his back, and he’s got ours.”
Chicago made history as the first NFL team to win a game after trailing by 17 points while accumulating fewer than 150 total yards. Williams faced numerous challenges in his debut, going 0-for-6 under pressure, 2-for-8 for 19 yards against the blitz, and completing just four passes beyond 5 air yards.
“They didn’t do anything special,” said Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. “We just didn’t take care of the ball. Their offense didn’t do much, so I’m excited about what we did on defense.”
Postgame, Williams compared the game to USC’s tough loss to Notre Dame in 2023, a game that taught him how to lean on his team. Despite his personal frustrations, he saw the win as a reflection of the team’s resilience and chemistry.
“It was a tough game,” Williams acknowledged. “But it shows who we are as a team. The fight and the belief we have in each other—offense, defense, special teams—it’s all there. We’re the Chicago Bears, and we believe in ourselves.”
Chicago starts the season 1-0, carrying momentum into their next game, with Williams determined to improve on his debut.
