I write for and edit the London gameday programmes and when I was putting together the article on Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams last week, I decided to be bold and go with the headline: A STAR IS BORN.
The young passer didn't let me down on Sunday as he shone brighter than the Christmas lights that will go up along Oxford Street in a few weeks' time. It was a real privilege to watch Williams lead from the front in Chicago's 35-16 demolition of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That's three wins in a row now for a 22-year-old who is indeed growing into an NFL star right before our eyes. Williams hit on 23 of 29 throws for 226 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 56 yards, including one scramble of 23 yards that frustrated Jaguars defenders on third down.
It was all on display from the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from USC. Poise, decision-making, mobility, accuracy and a cannon for an arm. And it all came after a first quarter in which he barely touched the field.
Imagine that? You're excited to be playing in London for the first time, on an international stage at an hour when no other games are being played across the league. All eyes are on you and you're basically sat on the bench for around 30 minutes of real time.
But Williams was patient and let the game come to him. And then he took it over. Touchdown pass after touchdown pass as he continued to impress the fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium while systematically ripping apart the Jags. His second-half nine-yard TD strike to Keenan Allen was a thing of beauty. Williams fired a laser into the middle of the end zone, but back-shouldered the football away from the defender and that made life much easier for his tightly-covered receiver.
One play a couple of downs earlier earlier and then another play just a little bit later summed up the growth of Williams. Down near the end zone, he was rolling to his right and running out of real estate. He had a risky throw back to the middle of the field but threw the ball out of bounds. Live to fight another day. On Chicago's next drive, he made a similar move to the sideline, but this time Cole Kmet was wide open back in the middle of the field. There was no risk with the across-the-grain throw this time, so Williams took his shot. It resulted in another Bears' first down. That game management and awareness was impressive and important.
With Williams leading the way, the Bears looked pretty complete in London. D'Andre Swift racked up 119 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, Cole Kmet and Keenan Allen each had two scores; and D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze were afforded relatively quiet days because other skill position guys stood up this week.
The defense chipped in with three sacks, an interception and a key fumble recovery. I'll have more on the brutal NFC North a little later on, but the Bears certainly have the look of a team that will be in the playoff conversation deep into December.
There is a great deal of hope in Chicago right now and most of that has been created by the arrival of Williams. I can see why. The comparisons to Patrick Mahomes are always going to weigh heavy on such young shoulders, but I can see why they have been made. It's certainly who Williams reminds me of when he plays and I will never forget the first time I saw him play live… and it was right here in the UK.
Who's Hot…
Detroit's offense… The Lions have scored more than 40 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1962. Just another example of this exciting Detroit team wiping away some of the more unsatisfactory moments in their history. This contest was never in doubt on Sunday as the Lions hammered the Cowboys 47-9 in Dallas. Jared Goff threw for 315 yards, three touchdowns and no picks; and Detroit ran the football 36 times for 184 yards and two scores. There are weapons everywhere you look in Detroit's attack and they are having a great deal of fun with creative offensive coordinator Ben Johnson pulling the strings.
Baker Mayfield… It was not perfect on Sunday as Baker Mayfield threw three interceptions for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But he won't give a damn about that because Tampa Bay beat the New Orleans Saints 51-27 to improve to 4-2 on the season. The only thing Baker cares about is winning. He threw for 325 yards and four touchdowns, left the game briefly after being pile-driven face-first into the ground and then returned to be found lead blocking on a running play downfield! Bucs players and coaches must love him for that. Sunday saw Baker helped by a ground attack that carried the ball 35 times for 277 yards and two touchdowns, but there is no doubt that he remains the heart and soul of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The NFC North… A little history lesson. The NFC North division – and the teams in it – were born out of the old NFC Central, which used to be known as the black and blue division; because it was tough to win and also very difficult to play in. That label would apply today. This is the most brutally-competitive division in football. All four teams have at least four wins in the season's opening six weeks! Incredible. Minnesota are a perfect 5-0, Detroit are 4-1, Chicago and Green Bay are both 4-2. Three teams could easily come out of this division and make the playoffs. Four is mathematically possible, but unlikely. And that means the remainder of the season in the NFC North is going to be filled with fierce battles. Which good team could be left on the outside looking in when the playoff party begins in January?
Who's Not…
The Jacksonville Jaguars… There were dropped passes – including a few that would have been for touchdowns – costly and untimely penalties and ball security issues. We saw a head coach who seemed to be running out of ideas in Doug Pederson and heard from a safety in Andre Cisco who said he "saw a lot of quit" from players that was "putting guys in vulnerable positions." Pederson added that a change of culture was needed and quickly. That all adds up to a 1-5 record and a coach on thin ice. This could be a pivotal week spent in London and we'll see if the Jags can put things right at Wembley this coming weekend.
Dallas at home… The Dallas Cowboys went 8-0 at home in the regular season in 2023. Then they got badly beaten by the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card round and have opened 2024 with three straight losses in front of their own fans. And this must be testing the patience of owner Jerry Jones, who has seen his team ship an average of 42 points per game and those four home losses. Head coach Mike McCarthy was not given a contract extension heading into 2024 and is coaching the last season of his current deal. He joins Pederson in Jacksonville on an ever-warming seat.
The Raiders' offense… It was always a worry when the Raiders didn't properly address their quarterback position in the offseason and now their hens are coming home to roost. Gardner Minshew tried and failed and Aidan O'Connell was no better in Sunday's 32-13 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He threw for 227 yards, one touchdown and one interception and was hardly helped by a running game that mustered 57 yards on 19 carries. With Davante Adams on the sidelines and hoping to be traded before the deadline on November 5, the Silver and Black have very little offensive firepower outside of rookie tight end Brock Bowers. This is shaping up to be a long season in Las Vegas.
The Fast Five…
- It was heartbreaking to see the terrible leg break suffered by Detroit defensive end Aidan Hutchinson on Sunday. He now faces a long road back and we all wish him the best. What was pleasing and concerning at the same time was how many players rallied around Hutchinson. There must have been 100 players from both teams either side of his cart. That was concerning in as much as it showed how serious it was, but also a pleasing reminder that NFL players feel like brothers to each other.
- While their Week 2 home loss to the Raiders was concerning, I never felt like the Baltimore Ravens were in trouble at 0-2. They have now won four in a row after Sunday's 30-23 victory over the Washington Commanders. And the identity that has been well and truly established was on display again. Lamar Jackson threw for 323 yards and one touchdown, and Derrick Henry added 132 yards and two scores on the ground. Washington are better and a good football team, but they have a way to go before being a considered a true contender like the Ravens.
- That was more like it from Jordan Love in Week 6 as he shone during Green Bay's 34-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Love had been careless with the football since returning from the knee injury he suffered in Week 1. But he was excellent in Week 6, throwing for 258 yards and four touchdowns. This one was never a contest.
- The Houston Texans have to be the quietest 5-1 team in the history of the league. But they keep taking care of business. They rolled to a 41-21 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday and probably deserved more attention for that result. What was not to like? C.J. Stroud threw three touchdown passes, Joe Mixon shook off his ankle injury to rush for 102 yards and a touchdown; and second-year pass-rushing phenom Will Anderson recorded three sacks.
- The Atlanta Falcons are starting to roll on offense and they racked up 423 total yards in a 38-20 win over the Carolina Panthers that improved them to 4-2. And one week after Kirk Cousins threw for more than 500 yards, the Falcons dominated on the ground this time around. Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson combined for 33 runs for 200 yards and three touchdowns. It's starting to come together in Atlanta and there is a nice balance to their attack.
Fact of the Week
Caleb Williams has become the first Bears rookie quarterback to have at least four wins through his team's first six games of a season. He is also the first rookie quarterback taken first overall in an NFL Draft to have at least four wins in his team's first six games.
Final Thought…
It is so simple yet hard to find. Consistency is the key to succeeding in the NFL. Some teams are able to find it, while others just blow so hot and cold from week to week. Seven days after shocking the San Francisco 49ers, the Arizona Cardinals failed to show up during their loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Denver Broncos had won three in a row before falling to the Los Angeles Chargers. It's so hard to win week after week in the NFL. That's why eight teams are separated by just two games in the AFC race and there are 11 teams just two games apart at the top of the NFC. The road to Super Bowl 59 promises to be filled with twists and turns.
