Homecoming: Williams starts slowly, finishes well in first preseason game at Soldier Field

It was a slow start for Caleb Williams and the Bears.

Bears fans simply had to be patient. The No. 1 overall draft pick provided plenty of fireworks after he and the first-team offense warmed up.

Williams played five possessions during Saturday’s 27-3 win against the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field. It was Williams’ first time playing in front of the home fans at Soldier Field. He played the entire first half before sitting out the second half. Quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ starters did not play in the game.

Here are the must-see plays from the game.

1. Odunze’s end around sparks offense

The Bears’ first-team offense went three-and-out on each of the first three possessions. It was not a pretty display of offensive football.

On the fourth possession the Bears finally picked up a pair of first downs. The first came on an end around from rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, who used a burst of speed to get by a chasing Bengals linebacker. It was the first big play that Odunze, the No. 9 overall draft pick, made in the preseason. It went for 16 yards.

“I came around on the end around and there was nothing but daylight,” Odunze said. “Those are pretty much free yards right there.”

Later during the same possession, Williams tossed a deep ball intended for receiver Tyler Scott. The two couldn’t connect on the pass, but the refs called defensive pass interference against the Bengals and gave the Bears a first down.

Moments later, a penalty and a sack on back-to-back snaps set the offense moving backward. The Bears settled for a field goal on the drive.

2. Williams throws beautiful deep ball to Odunze

The Bears kept Williams in the game for a fifth possession, although they sat star receivers DJ Moore and Keenan Allen on the bench. The rest of the starters, however, remained in the game.

On a second-and-10 play from the Bears’ own 48-yard line, Williams scrambled to his left and unleashed a cross-body deep ball intended for Odunze. Somehow, Williams hit Odunze perfectly in stride for a 45-yard gain. Odunze adjusted his route on the play and took off deep.

“It’s pretty unreal, honestly,” Odunze said. “I just watched [the replay]. Man he’s throwing off of one leg, putting it on my outside shoulder. It’s like, oooh. It’s magical what he’s doing back there in that backfield. He’s special.”

The throw was anything but ordinary. Moving to his left, Williams had to flip his shoulders in order to launch the pass with his right arm.

Williams said he’s been trying to replicate similar throws from Aaron Rodgers over the years.

“It’s something that I’ve worked on in practice,” Williams said. “Watching Aaron Rodgers — I know he’s a Green Bay guy — watching Aaron Rodgers and all his times these past 19, 20 years, he can do unbelievable things. Right. Left. Running straight. All these other things. Just practicing it over time. Perfecting it.”

The pass brought the offense into the red zone and set up what was easily the most exciting moment of the game.

3. Williams keeps play alive, scores touchdown

Bears fans might have caught their first glimpse of Caleb Williams magic.

After the big gain to Odunze, Williams nearly found Odunze for a touchdown — but Odunze’s feet were just barely out of bounds. That play in itself was a laser throw from Williams, but it went as an incompletion.

On third-and-goal from the 7-yard line, Williams took a snap and stepped up into the pocket. Bengals linemen Cedric Johnson and Travis Bell both had Williams within an arm’s reach, but Williams scampered to his right and narrowly avoided a sack.

The rookie rolled out to his left and looked up for a target. What he saw was green grass ahead of him.

“I felt my guy pulling away because I felt Caleb was about to scramble,” lineman Teven Jenkins said. “He ended up falling down trying to chase Caleb. So when Caleb came back around my way, I looked over and I saw nobody.”

Williams followed Jenkins into the end zone for an easy rushing touchdown. The home crowd roared as Williams crossed into the end zone and yelled toward the stands.

Jenkins said the play showed the type of quarterback Williams is. The offensive line has to be ready to pass protect for long stretches when Williams keeps plays alive.

Williams finished his afternoon 6-for-13 passing for 75 yards with 1 sack. He rushed for 7 yards and a touchdown.

4. Big hits and takeaways

On the other side of the ball, the Bears defense had itself another big day. It started with the play of slot cornerback Kyler Gordon.

Gordon, now in his third year, was tackling opponents all over the place. He previously had been dealing with an undisclosed injury for about three weeks until working his way back into practice this week.

Gordon’s biggest play of the day came on a blitz in the first quarter. Cincinnati left Gordon completely unblocked. Bengals quarterback Logan Woodside didn’t see Gordon coming before the cornerback crushed him and sent his helmet off his head.

“It’s a good feeling,” Gordon said. “That changes the whole game. Put a little pressure on him. He’s getting hit. He don’t want to get hit no more. So he’s going to start looking around and being more aware of that. Any time you get a chance to disrupt the QB and stuff like that, it’s big for the defense.”

Gordon finished the day with four total tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss. The starting defense played several possessions.

The Bears totaled three takeaways, and all of them came when the starters exited the game. Bears backup linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga pulled down an interception after cornerback Josh Blackwell hit Woodside as he was throwing. Later, backup cornerback Terell Smith grabbed an interception along the sideline on a pass from Woodside.

In the fourth quarter undrafted rookie defensive tackle Keith Randolph Jr., from Illinois, recovered a fumble for the Bears. Defensive back Douglas Coleman was credited with the forced fumble.

5. Dante Pettis catches 2 touchdowns

In the second half Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent connected with receiver Dante Pettis twice for touchdowns. Pettis played a lot for the Bears in 2022, then missed all of the 2023 season due to injury. These are big reps for the 28-year-old receiver who is battling for a roster spot. He totaled 3 catches for 53 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The second of Pettis’ two touchdowns might have been the most impressive. Bagent threw a perfect pass just out of reach of the defender for a 25-yard score.

“A dot,” Pettis said of the throw. “I knew it when I saw it. I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is perfect.’ He couldn’t have walked out there and handed it to me any better.”

Bagent played about a quarter of action and finished the day 7-for-8 passing for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns.