The Chicago Bears went into Lambeau Field hoping to survive another week without Caleb Williams.
Instead, they got steamrolled.
The Green Bay Packers handed Chicago a brutal 31-7 loss on Sunday, dropping the Bears to 3-2 and raising some uncomfortable questions about their offense without their starting quarterback.
But here’s where things get interesting.
Head coach Ben Johnson delivered an encouraging update on Williams after the game, suggesting the Bears could have their franchise quarterback back sooner rather than later.
And after what happened against Green Bay, that news couldn’t come at a better time.
Williams has been sidelined since suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain on Sept. 20. Chicago has been trying to keep things moving without him, but Sunday’s performance showed just how difficult that can be.
Now, all eyes are on the Bears’ Week 6 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 18.
“He’s on track,” Johnson said of Williams, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “We’ll see if it’s Atlanta or after. I think it’s going to be close.”
That’s not a guarantee Williams will suit up against Atlanta.
But it’s certainly better than hearing he’s nowhere close to returning.
And Chicago could desperately use some good news at quarterback.
Tyson Bagent got the start against Green Bay, but things went downhill quickly. After throwing two interceptions, Bagent found himself on the bench as Johnson turned to veteran Case Keenum in the fourth quarter.
Unfortunately for the Bears, Keenum couldn’t get anything going either.
He threw a red-zone interception, and Chicago’s offense failed to score during his time on the field.
Three interceptions between two quarterbacks. Seven points on the scoreboard.
Not exactly the afternoon Johnson had in mind.
And with Williams’ availability still uncertain, the Bears suddenly have another quarterback decision staring them in the face.
“We’ll recap this game, and we’ll make a decision going into next week what’s best for us,” Johnson said when asked whether Bagent or Keenum would start against Atlanta if Williams remains unavailable.
Meanwhile, there are some encouraging signs surrounding Williams’ recovery.
According to Jon Greenberg of The Athletic, Williams participated in early morning pregame work as he continues recovering from the injury.
That’s one positive development.
In the meantime, Keenum had a message for Bagent and the rest of the Bears following their embarrassing afternoon in Green Bay.
And it wasn’t some carefully packaged speech about moral victories.
The veteran quarterback knows what it’s like to get knocked around in the NFL, and he made it clear that what happens afterward matters considerably more.
“You don’t last very long in this league if you don’t know how to get back up when you’ve had your a– kicked, and that’s just the way it is,” Keenum said. “There’s really good players, really good coaches, really good teams, and if you last long enough, it’s just a matter of time. At some point you’re going to get your a– kicked, and it’s not about that. It’s about how you respond. How you respond the next day, the next week, and every day after that. I expect [Bagent] to respond like he knows how to, and he can. This is just adversity to learn from.”
But here’s the uncomfortable reality for Chicago.
If Williams isn’t ready for Atlanta, Johnson will have to decide whether to give Bagent another opportunity or hand the offense to Keenum.
Neither quarterback made a particularly convincing argument against Green Bay.
The Bears are still 3-2, and there’s plenty of football left to play. But another week without Williams could put even more pressure on an offense that just endured a miserable afternoon.
For now, Chicago’s biggest question isn’t complicated.
Can Caleb Williams get healthy in time to face the Falcons?
