Chicago overcame a 17-0 deficit to beat Tennessee in Week 1. The Bears didn’t do it with their offense, though.
While it’s too early to declare the Monsters of the Midway have returned like Aliens from the 1980s, Chicago won with defense and special teams. In fact, the Bears became one of three teams this century to overcome a 17-point deficit and win without an offensive touchdown. Kansas City did it Nov. 13, 2016, at Carolina, as did the Bears on Oct. 16, 2006 (when they were who Dennis Green thought they were).
Caleb Williams may have seen this coming, but few saw a thick-and-thin Bears win based on the team’s 148 net yards on offense. Chicago was 2-for-13 (15.4 percent) on third downs. After the game, Williams knew the Bears can’t win every week like that.
“It’s great to get this first win,” said Williams, who was 14 of 29 for 93 yards without an interception. “We’re all excited. We went to the locker room and celebrated. I sat down, enjoyed the moment, just watching our guys celebrate and understanding that I need to do better and I will be better.”
Williams still made history, becoming the first quarterback selected first overall to win his initial NFL start since Houston’s David Carr in 2002. While he was on the sideline, he also got solid pass rush, great defensive schemes and an ill-advised pass from counterpart Will Levis. Tyrique Stevenson’s 43-yard interception-return touchdown provided the game-winning points.
Chicago faces another young quarterback on Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) when Williams goes head to head with reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud at Houston. While Houston got great production from its new wide receiver last week, Williams might be without one of his top targets, Rome Odunze.
Per the NFL, Chicago, Buffalo and Miami completed comebacks of at least 14 points to win, the first time three teams have accomplished that feat in Week 1 since 1979.