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Caleb Williams is one of the NFL’s hottest prospects. After a glittering college career with the Oklahoma Sooners and the USC Trojans, during which he was named the 2022 recipient of the prestigious Heisman Trophy award, the 22-year-old was selected as the No.1 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.
The pressure that comes with winning the Heisman and being the No.1 Draft pick is immense, and in the early stages of the 2024 regular season, it looks like it might be affecting Williams’s performance on the field.
While there is no doubt of his ability, he has had a shaky start under center for the Bears in the first two games of the season and, at times, has looked like a college quarterback out of his league against the big boys in the NFL.
Williams has racked up just 267 passing yards in his appearances against the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans. He has thrown more interceptions (2) than touchdowns (0), and he still awaits that first TD pass in the NFL.
A pass completion percentage of just 56.1% from those two performances and a measly quarterback rating of 53.0 makes for even worse reading, let alone the seven sacks and 11 hits he took in the defeat to the Texans thanks to a poor offensive line.
It’s worth noting, however, that we are basing this on just two games. There’s every chance it will click for the Bears and Williams in the coming weeks, and that could be in time for their trip to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 13.
Given that the Jags are 0-2 after the first two weeks, the Chicago Bears vs. Jacksonville Jaguars odds could be in Williams’ favour to pick up a victory in London.
Shahid Kahn’s franchise features in London so often that they often dubbed the ‘home’ side when they travel across the pond, so it will be like a road game for the Bears despite being at a neutral venue.
However, many of those in attendance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be watching Williams closely, and he will be keen to put on a show for the international NFL fans.
The Bears have winnable games on the agenda before they face the Jags in London, and if the O-Line can protect Williams better, in turn, he can build confidence that will allow him to perform better.
He has shown glimpses of his ability, like his 24-yard rush when scrambling out of the pocket under a blitz from the Texans and with some good passes, but at other times he has looked out of his depth entirely.
Speaking of what he had learned from his two NFL starts, Williams said: “One: Communication. Two is making adjustments faster throughout the game. Having better communication between myself, coaches and offensive line … making sure that we’re on the same page and making the adjustments we need to in game.
“Obviously, you have adjustments … that you practice throughout the week, but the other team’s job is to try to confuse you and throw different things at you, different looks.
“And so being able to adjust quickly in game I think is the most important thing. It starts with communication.”
If the Bears’ O-Line can sharpen up and Williams can find his rhythm in the NFL, then they can be a real threat in the American football betting.
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