CHICAGO -- The Bears and Caleb Williams will ride the rookie quarterback roller coaster all season, and both sides were on display Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals at Soldier Field.
Williams and most of the Bears' first-team offense opened the day with three consecutive three-and-outs against the Bengals' backup defense.
The No. 1 overall pick opened the day with a pass to Keenan Allen that was high and hot that the receiver couldn't grab. After an incomplete pass to tight end Gerald Everett, Williams' pass on third-and-10 sailed long and left out of bounds with no receiver in the vicinity. Williams was still in the pocket when he let the pass go and was flagged for intentional grounding.
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The ground appeared to be the product of a miscommunication as Williams signaled something to wide receiver Allen and fullback Khari Blasingame after the play. The two gathered after the series to work through things.
The Bears' second offensive series started with two runs by Khalil Herbert to set up a third-and-5. Williams then hit Everett on a hook over the middle for a gain of 3, but the tight end was stopped short of the sticks, and the Bears were forced to punt.
Williams opened his third series with an 8-yard completion to tight end Cole Kmet over the middle, but the Bears' offense could not pick up 2 yards on the next two plays. Herbert was stuffed on second down, and Williams' pass to a tightly covered Moore fell incomplete.
Nine plays. Zero first downs.
Bears Analysis
Williams and the offense finally got a little something going on their fourth series.
Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron dialed up an end around to wide receiver Rome Odunze for a gain of 16 to open the drive. On the next play, Williams threw a pretty deep ball downfield to wide receiver Tyler Scott. Scott beat his man, and Williams put the ball on the money, but cornerback Josh Newton pulled Scott down before the ball arrived, resulting in a 43-yard pass interference penalty.
The penalty set the Bears' offense up at the Bengals' 15-yard line, but things quickly went backward.
A false start on Teven Jenkins, a sack, and a screen to fullback Khari Blasingame brought up third-and-21. Williams hit Everett for 7 on third down to bring out Cairo Santos for a 37-yard field goal.
But the day wasn't done for the No. 1 overall pick.
Head coach Matt Eberflus elected to send his rookie signal-caller out to operate the two-minute drill at the end of the first half, and that's when the brilliance came.
An 11-yard completion to Nsimba Webster and a 21-yard run by Hebert got the Bears' offense out near midfield.
On the next play, Williams was pressured, stepped up in the pocket and tried to throw without resetting his feet. The pass flew behind Everett and could have been intercepted but luckily fell to the ground in front of Odunze and another Bengals defender.
With the costly turnover avoided, Williams recalibrated and went to work.
Facing a second-and-10, Williams rolled out left and threw a 45-yard strike to Odunze down the left sideline off his backfoot.
On first-and-goal from the 7, Williams evaded pressure and threw a strike to Odunze along the backline of the end zone. It should have been a touchdown, but the rookie wide receiver was standing on the end line when he caught the pass.
That didn't fluster Williams, either.
Two plays later, Williams once again danced around to avoid pressure before rolling out to the left and strolling into the end zone for a 7-yard score.
Williams finished the day going 6-for-13 for 75 yards, a passer rating of 64.8, and a 7-yard touchdown run. He played 23 snaps.
With the Bears facing a quick turnaround for Thursday night's preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, there's a good chance that Williams' touchdown scamper was the last we will see of the No. 1 overall pick until the season-opener against the Tennessee Titans.