Bears back rookie QB, expect more from stingy defense

Bears coach Matt Eberflus dismissed any flaws evident in evaluating the NFL debut of No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams in Chicago's 24-17 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. "My evaluation was he took care of the football. I know he had two sacks, but he really took care of the football," Eberflus said Monday. Williams said he celebrated with teammates in the locker room and doesn't care what the statistics indicated about his play on Sunday, when he went 14-for-29 passing for 93 yards and a 55.7 QB rating. Eberflus credited Williams with knowing where not to throw the ball based on coverage reads to assist the rally from a 17-0 deficit with 24 unanswered points. "That was a difference in the game," Eberflus said. The Bears had 11 total first downs and didn't score an offensive touchdown. Chicago's defense is helping change the narrative around the Bears, who now have a six-game home winning streak. Sunday's victory was the seventh consecutive game dating to last season the Bears held their opponent to 20 or fewer points. Their record in that span is 5-2. "It was one of those dirty wins that we really needed," safety Kevin Byard said Monday. He said no one in the locker room was surprised by the defensive showing or the playmakers who helped flip the game in the second half. The Bears pack their bags this week for their first primetime appearance at Houston to face the 2023 No. 2 pick, C.J. Stroud, and the Texans (1-0). As defensive coordinator of the Colts, Eberflus turned down a request from the Texans to interview for the head-coaching opening in January 2021. Days later, the Texans hired Nick Caserio from the Patriots to run the front office. Eberflus, who interviewed with the Chargers and Jets that offseason, was hired by general manager Ryan Poles in January 2022. --Field Level Media