During the final two minutes of an unmemorable game against the Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears fans chanted “Sell the team!” in the United Club of Soldier Field. The chants were due to the Bears’ decision to punt after fourth-and-inche from their 39 took a bad turn. Despite initial plans to punt, the team decided to go for it in the dying stages of the match. However, the chants wouldn’t stop, and they spread throughout the stadium, even during some ingenious plays by Bears’ quarterback Caleb Williams.
In the face of the escalating chants, Williams performed well. Amidst some mismanagement by the Bears team, he managed to elude an all-out blitz from the Seahawks, and delivered a 14-yard gain. A few plays later, he took a hit to the throat, but still completed a 15-yard pass to a rookie receiver. But his interceptions failed to stem the fans’ frustration, resulting in the chants echoing once more. Geno Smith of the Seahawks took a knee, and they claimed a 6-3 victory in what was some scintillating “Thursday Night Football”.
After witnessing a frustrating game the day after Christmas, the fans let their emotions out on Bears chairman George McCaskey and his family. The chants became louder and more assertive, signaling a palpable dissatisfaction with the team’s performance. The home crowd had witnessed a losing streak stretching for 10 games, and it seems like the defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers was just the icing on the cake.
Williams, in a self-accountability move, accepted blame for the defeat. He understood that he could have played better, but also highlighted that the team defence played its best game. His delivery consisted of 16-for-28 passes, totalling 122 yards. While his interception-free streak ended with the final throw, it was one of his worst games of the season, and unfortunately, it happened on national television. He admitted that he could have positioned the team in a better place to win.
However, it is arguably unjust to expect Williams, a rookie quarterback, to turn around the team’s fortunes single-handedly. He’s dealing with the deep pits dug by his predecessors, including a first NFL offensive coordinator and head coach who were both fired mid-season. Amidst the fans’ chants, Williams was stoically focused on winning games and improving in areas of weaknesses. He noted that he doesn’t react to crowd chants but keeps his focus on the game.
Despite the disappointing loss, Williams proved his worth with a shining moment that was unfortunately negated by a penalty in the second quarter. While running to his left, he fired a touchdown pass in the end zone which was considered the best play of the night. Unfortunately, holding was called on a temporary fill-in player, leading to a 42-yard field goal instead. Despite not breaking under pressure, it is argued that Williams needs adequate field and coaching support for his development and to avoid a repeat of this abysmal season.
