The Bears didn’t just lose; they got steamrolled. A 52–21 beatdown by the Lions drops them to 0–2, and while the defense is taking most of the heat (and rightfully so after giving up 52 points), the offense showed some serious cracks of its own. And no one feels that more than Caleb Williams, who opened up about those issues after the game.

If you’re looking for a one-liner to sum up what we watched: new coach, new offense, a ton of new faces — and the execution just wasn’t there. Caleb Williams put it bluntly afterwards, blaming the situation: “It’s not surprising or anything like that. It’s a new coach, new offense, a bunch of new players, and we’re all trying to figure it out together.”

Still, “transition year” or not, the numbers don’t lie. Detroit shredded Chicago for over 500 yards and a ridiculous 8.8 yards per play. The Bears actually went into halftime down 28–14… and from there, the Lions never even tapped the brakes.

On the other hand, the Bears were never pegged to be a playoff team this season. It’s a team under construction, after all. But tonight’s showing was way below the standard the fans had set. Chicago’s offense felt like it was stuck in neutral. Caleb Williams put up 207 yards on 19-of-30 passing, with two scores to Rome Odunze that flashed the connection everyone’s been waiting on. But the shine faded with a back-breaking interception, and even his 27 yards across five scrambles felt more like scrambling for survival than designed danger.

It wasn’t just on Williams, though. Actually, it was more on the offensive line than it was on Williams. The quarterback was exposed to pressure all game long and ended with four sacks. The tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright made no difference out there on the field.

Both tackles had a rough night trying to keep Caleb Williams upright. He managed to create in the first half, but the protection was a glaring weak spot. And here’s the real frustration: Braxton Jones is a four-year starter at left tackle, and the fact that the position still looks this shaky falls squarely on GM Ryan Poles for failing to address any of the issues in any real way.

And it’d be unfair not to talk about the defense that gave up 52 points. The Bears’ defense was invisible. Letting up 52 points is ugly enough, but the way it happened was worse. Jared Goff, who appeared unhappy in Week 1, looked like he was running 7-on-7 drills, completing 23 of 28 passes for 334 yards and five scores, untouched and unbothered. With zero heat up front, Chicago basically handed him the freedom to dissect the secondary snap after snap.

This was a game that equally fell upon a poor offense, a disastrous offense, Ben Johnson, and the front office. It was poor across the board, and Caleb Williams had a lot more to say.

Caleb Williams opens up on his frustration post-game

Things turned from bad to worse for Williams when he threw that interception. In the second quarter, Williams launched a deep ball toward Olamide Zaccheaus — only for it to land in Kerby Joseph’s hands. That turnover came at a critical moment when the Bears desperately needed a momentum swing, and Williams didn’t shy away from acknowledging it after the game.

“I probably should’ve thrown it away right there, try to make a play. But I thought OZ was going to go high, and it was just miscommunication on the field,” Williams said. Yes, it wasn’t a case of getting beat by coverage so much as a timing miscue between route and quarterback. In a game that spiraled as quickly as this one, it ended up being painfully costly.

Johnson pulled Williams midway through the fourth quarter — the coach said the game was out of reach — and Williams’ reaction was measured and team-first, even if sitting on the sideline ate at him. “I think in that situation, it s—s that your guys are out on the field and you’re not. And that’s frustrating because you put so much time, energy, and effort. Those guys are out there battling, and you’re on the sideline. But it was the coach’s decision, and you gotta move on,” the QB said.

He explained what he could do in that moment: focus on helping the team however possible. “In that situation, I’m thinking of how I can help this team, this offense. Whether it was me saying something or completing one more pass just to get some momentum rolling, to win some games,” Williams added. And they need to win some games. They’re already on a 0-2 record, and their next matchup against the Cowboys can make or break their season and the trust.