It seemed like a trailer, the movie highlights of coming attractions, more than the beginning of the Caleb Williams saga.

It teased perfectly.

Caleb Williams got on the field only for 18 plays, two drives and in the long marches to two Cairo Santos field goals it quickly became apparent what could be ahead for the Bears.

Williams threw on he run, he pulled sleight of hand with what seemed to be a no-look screen pass, he converted third-and-long with a bullet throw and even ran for a first down. It even came with a slide.

Williams thoroughly entertained in less than 20 plays, only four completions and without leading a touchdown drive, although he might have had one if D’Andre Swift had been able to maintain his feet at the end of a 42-yard bolt with the no-look screen that wasn’t really a no-look. It sure seemed that way, though.

“So I thought he (Williams) did a really nice job, you know, you know, getting the ball to (Swift) cleanly,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “And obviously Swift is a guy that can be really  dynamic and really, really has got a lot of good speed and he’s just got to kick his feet up at the end there.”

Williams compiled a 101.8 passer rating with four completions. He hit DJ Moore to convert a third-and-12 from his own 28. How often do Bears quarterbacks convert third-and-12 from their own 28, preseason or otherwise?

If you’re looking for signs Williams is “the one,” then this was probably a bit premature.

Defenses play vanilla in preseason, but also remember, too, that the offense doesn’t really game plan anyone, either.

.@CALEBcsw with a dart to @ColeKmet 😮‍💨

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/BDsZNDhLai

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 10, 2024

On the next possession, his assignment looked far more severe after a punt to the 3-yard line. No problem, although an illegal contact against Buffalo on a failed third-down throw made it all possible.

Two-man was always a coverage the Bears found difficult to beat with Fields at quarterback. Green Bay loved playing it against the Bears, and had done so even before Fields, when Mitchell Trubisky was at quarterback. But Williams recognized it and knew what to do.

The drive resulted in a field goal after Williams threw it deep beyond Rome Odunze at the pylon in back of the end zone, a play they had more or less rehearsed. They couldn’t connect, though.

Caleb Williams today…

Pocket throws/movement. Got to
the edges on boot (which should be a heavy offensive tendency for Chicago). Accuracy on the run. Playmaking instincts.

Small sample size (only two drives) — but we saw a lot of positives here. #Bears

— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) August 10, 2024

“I thought he was going to either settle or go to back pylon,” Williams said. “He started coming up flat by then I had to let the ball go and I tried to give him a chance and put it back pylon, see if he could run under it.”

It all easily could have been interpreted as, or labeled, a prelude to much bigger things. Williams wasn’t about to fall into that trap. The twinkle in his eye said something else.

“The human nature urges to kind of take that breath and say, obviously that felt good to get back out there,” Williams said. “And then that says you have to scale back and say also there’s a lot of work to do.

“I mean, you have to understand where we are and understand, you know, what we have and where we’re headed. That’s the most important thing. But you also have to be where your feet are.”

EVERY Caleb Williams drop back in his preseason debut

4/7
108 yards

Was on pace for a 400 yard game pic.twitter.com/8CQ8bKF4cn

— Sadeek 🪐 (@SadeekNextWave) August 10, 2024

Where those feet are is Week 2 of preseason. But they sure seem to be in a better place than they’ve been in the past after Week 2 of preseason.

It was merely the trailer. The first act really begins in about four weeks.