Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears coaches were pleased with the strides they saw from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, which carried over to Sunday's 36-10 win over the Carolina Panthers.

"It's just about us being able to have him grow every week," head coach Matt Eberflus said to The MMQB's Albert Breer. "He's learned about the game up here every single week. It's the noise in Houston and taking that into Indianapolis and operating in the noise way better there. Being able to fit the ball into his skill [players], he did that also in Indy. Then, just worked every single week to get better. Then, just playing clean football.

"I think what he learned most was, I do have a good team around me. If I play clean football in that position, we can win some games. He said that last week, and I think he's spot on."

Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron added that Williams has "done a really good job" of understanding the "complementary football" the Bears can play when their defense and special teams units are performing well.

The No. 1 overall pick was an efficient 20-of-29 for 304 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina. He also ran for 34 yards on 11 carries and was sacked just one time.

This is what fans have wanted to see from the franchise QB.

Of course, it's worth asking how much Williams' production was down to him and how much was owed to playing one of the NFL's worst teams. The Panthers are tied for the third-most yards allowed per pass attempt (8.1) and rank 29th in opponent passer rating (111.5).

Fortunately for the Bears, they face off with the Jacksonville Jaguars in their next game, and the Jags have been even worse against the pass. They're fresh off allowing Joe Flacco to go for 359 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

Williams' positive development should continue before Chicago heads into its Week 7 bye.

The Chicago Bears landed what became the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft in a trade with the Carolina Panthers and used the selection on quarterback Caleb Williams.

It's only fitting, then, that the rookie's breakout showing came against the NFC South team.

Williams led the Bears to a commanding 36-10 victory over the Panthers on Sunday at Soldier Field and went 20-of-29 for 304 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in the process. Chicago is now 3-2 on the season following its second consecutive victory and has now won eight consecutive home games dating back to last season.

Social media had plenty of love for the USC product:

Chicago entered play looking for its first winning streak of the Williams era with an opportunity to move above .500 and start building some early momentum ahead of what figures to be a tight playoff race.

This is the type of game playoff teams win, which put additional pressure on the rookie's shoulders. And he delivered right out of the gates with the best half of his young career even though the Panthers struck first with a 38-yard touchdown run from Chuba Hubbard.

Williams answered back with a deep-ball touchdown to DJ Moore and then found his go-to receiver for another score on a perfectly placed long ball shortly before intermission to give his team a 27-7 advantage. Sandwiched in between those scores were touchdown runs from Roschon Johnson and D'Andre Swift, as well as strong defense from the Bears.

Swift's touchdown came after he also darted through Carolina's defense on a screen pass after Jaquan Brisker got the ball back for the home team with a forced fumble.

But it was Williams who stood out the most with 200 passing yards in the first half alone. It wasn't just the stats either, as he was making quick decisions, checking into different plays at the line of scrimmage, escaping pressure and making plays with his legs, and even mixing in impressive bootleg throws.

The second half was largely a formality, although Williams had a touchdown run taken off the board because of a clipping penalty.

Chicago's defense also ensured there would be no nerves for the home fans down the stretch with an interception from Kevin Byard III and a forced fumble by Tremaine Edmunds that set up another Johnson touchdown.

The end result was a straightforward win for Williams and the Bears as they turn their attention toward a London trip to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Chicago Bears are back to .500.

Chicago snapped its two-game losing streak with a 24-18 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at Soldier Field and improved to 2-2 in the process. While Caleb Williams didn't put up monster numbers at 17-of-23 passing for 157 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions, he made a number of big plays in the second half to earn the home win.

He was also helped by running back D'Andre Swift, who bounced back from his early season struggles with 93 rushing yards, 72 receiving yards and one touchdown.

The Bears defense also delivered when needed, and Jaquan Brisker's interception in the final minute clinched the win.

But much of the social-media focus was on Williams in the aftermath:

Chicago's offense was under the spotlight going into Sunday's game, as it entered play an abysmal 30th in the league in yards per game despite high expectations surrounding Williams as the No. 1 overall pick and a group of pass-catchers that includes DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet.

Things looked about the same out of the gates with punts on the Bears' first three possessions. They did take advantage of a short field following a turnover with a Roschon Johnson touchdown and added a field goal to take a 10-6 lead into intermission, but there was still a feeling of what could have been.

Williams missed two potential touchdown throws late in the half, including one to a wide-open Moore. The crowd booed the offense multiple times throughout the early stages of the game as the frustration from the start of the season carried over.

Those boos disappeared in the second half.

The rookie signal-caller directed one of Chicago's best drives of the season after halftime and marched 74 yards down the field in 12 plays. He mixed in some short, high-percentage throws before he found Moore for the go-to receiver's first touchdown of the season.

While the Rams responded with a touchdown and put the pressure back on Williams, he delivered with another touchdown drive. His long pass to Kmet moved the Bears into scoring position, and Swift then broke free for a rushing touchdown.

That was all the Chicago defense needed, as Brisker's pick clinched the win and gave the NFC North team some momentum heading into next week's home game against the Carolina Panthers.

Caleb Williams wants the Chicago Bears to play with more aggression.

Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported Sunday that Williams and tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Cole Kmet met with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and said they want the offense to be "more aggressive" moving forward following a 1-2 start.

Chicago is 30th in the league in yards per game (249.3) and 22nd in points per game (17.7) in the early going this season and has looked lost on offense at times.

One stretch in particular during the Week 3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts stood out, as the Bears ran four straight times with goal-to-go inside the 5-yard line and did not score a point. The 4th-and-goal play from the 1-yard line was particularly egregious, as Waldron called a speed option play to the short side of the field that lost 12 yards.

Indianapolis ended up winning the game by five, so a touchdown in that scenario shortly before halftime could have changed the outcome of the game.

There is certainly an adjustment period underway for the Bears, as Williams is in his first season as a rookie quarterback while Waldron is in his first season as the team's offensive coordinator after previous stops with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.

Throw in new additions in D'Andre Swift, Rome Odunze, Keenan Allen and Gerald Everett, among others, and the offensive group is still growing accustomed to each other.

Chicago's offensive line has also struggled through the first three games, which has left Williams scrambling for time and taking a number of hits in the pocket. That is one reason he has two touchdowns to four interceptions and could be looking for some offensive changes.

Offensive changes could lead to a quick turnaround.

The talent is there with DJ Moore, Odunze, Allen and Williams, and the next six games against the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Commanders, Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots is not exactly daunting.

Making the playoffs in Williams' rookie season may be too much to ask, but the team could be a contender late into the year if it takes advantage of that softer stretch. And it starts with taking strides on the offensive side of the ball.

Five months after being drafted by the Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams is in the early stages of building his real estate portfolio in the city.

Per Glancer Magazine, Williams recently purchased a $12.9 million mansion in Lake Forest, Illinois. Lake Forest is approximately 33 miles from Chicago.

The property includes landscaped gardens, a private pool and direct access to Lake Michigan.

Per Sophia Chen of Crazy Luxury Homes, the property was originally designed in the early 20th century and has been "meticulously restored to offer a blend of elegance and modern comforts."

Amenities include a billiards room, home theater, study with a view of Lake Michigan, arcade room, indoor hockey rink and basketball court.

The home purchase came not long after Williams signed his four-year, $39.5 million fully-guaranteed rookie contract. The 22-year-old also has endorsement deals with Nissan, Beats by Dre, PlayStation and Dr. Pepper, among others.

Williams is off to a slow start through the first three games of his career. He did throw the first touchdown passes of his career in Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts, but he also threw two interceptions in the 21-16 loss.

The Bears have lost two of their first three games going into Sunday's showdown with the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field.

Caleb Williams has the full weight of the expectations that come with being a franchise quarterback and the No. 1 overall pick in his rookie season on his shoulders, and few would know what that's like better than Matthew Stafford.

Stafford was once the No. 1 pick of the 2009 draft and going through the growing pains of being a rookie on the Detroit Lions. He believe Williams will work through those on the Chicago Bears and become a game-changing quarterback just like he did.

"Mine was tough for sure," Stafford told reporters Wednesday when discussing his rookie season. "We were a team in a lot of transition at that point. It's a long time ago, trying to remember all of it. There were some big-time highs and there were some big-time lows, as far as my play and our team's performance. It's all a learning opportunity [and] a chance to find what you can do [and] what you can't do.

"He's obviously immensely talented. He makes plays every single week that you see on TV that blow you away as a quarterback. I sit there and go, man, that is some incredible stuff. I'm sure there are plays he wants back, like all of us. He seems like a sharp kid, obviously, really talented. I'm sure he'll figure it out more and more as he continues to play. I'm sure he is going to have a great career."

Stafford threw for 2,267 yards, 13 touchdowns and 20 interceptions as a rookie but eventually worked through those initial ups-and-downs to become a Super Bowl champion who is 11th on the NFL's all-time list in passing yards and passing touchdowns.

Williams is a long way from that as a 1-2 quarterback for the Bears, but he has shown growth in each of his three games. After throwing for just 93 yards in the season opener against the Tennessee Titans and zero touchdowns to two interceptions in Week 2 against the Houston Texans, he threw for 363 yards, two touchdowns and two picks against the Indianapolis Colts.

Now he will have a chance to continue that trend of improvement against Stafford's Rams, who are 29th in the league in passing yards allowed through the first three weeks.

If Keenan Allen returns to the field, Williams will have no shortage of weapons in Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet. The offensive line has been an issue, but Chicago is surely hoping the overall offensive unit can find more consistency against a vulnerable Los Angeles defense.

If it does, Williams can have more of those plays that "blow you away" as the Bears look to get on track before the middle of his rookie campaign.