CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams looked downfield and saw no one open. He pivoted and hit Rome Odunze deep, one prized recruit connecting with another on a 45-yard pass.
It was exactly the kind of game Chicago hopes to see on a regular basis.
Williams made another strong impression in his first appearance at Soldier Field since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick, running for a touchdown and leading two scoring drives as the Bears beat the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 on Saturday.
Williams has gotten off to a slow start to the season after an impressive and brief performance last week in Buffalo in his first preseason appearance. Chicago threw three assists on its first three possessions on a rainy afternoon. The former USC star then showed the arm and evasiveness the Bears rely on, leading them to a field goal and scrambling for a touchdown.
Williams completed 6 of 13 passes for 75 yards against Cincinnati’s backups, including a 45-yard completion to Odunze. That led to a 7-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter.
“We’re going to be explosive,” Williams said. “We’re two rookies, but we’re trying to catch up to some older guys as quickly as possible. We’ve got to make sure we’re on par with them, to be efficient, functional, go out there and be explosive, be on the same page and win games. At the end of the day, that’s what we’re here to do. And having a guy like that drafted with me, we’re going to continue to grow and build that connection.”
Odunze, the No. 9 overall pick, also had a 16-yard run around the ball to help set up a field goal. Khalil Herbert carried the ball five times for 31 yards.
Tyson Bagent started the second half for Chicago, throwing two touchdown passes to Dante Pettis. He completed 7 of 8 passes for 87 yards with a 151.6 rating before Brett Rypien took over midway through the fourth half.
Simone Biles, who just won three more Olympic gold medals in Paris and is wearing a Green Bay Packers jacket, cheered on her husband, safety Jonathan Owens, from the sidelines in Chicago. The jacket bore an image of Owens, who signed with Chicago after spending last year with the rival Packers.
“She hasn’t lived here much, so she doesn’t have a lot of Bears gear and she was just supporting me,” he said. “It was to show her support for her husband. We’re going to have to get her some more Bears gear.”
Logan Woodside started at quarterback for Cincinnati after the Bengals held Joe Burrow and backup Jake Browning out with rib injuries. He completed 17 of 25 passes for 132 yards and two interceptions before Rocky Lombardi took over late in the third period.
Evan McPherson, armed with a three-year contract extension worth $16.5 million, kicked a 54-yard field goal late in the first half.
Second-round pick Kris Jenkins Jr. sacked Williams. The Bengals committed 11 penalties for 123 yards, frustrating coach Zac Taylor even though the starters weren’t playing.
“There are just things that could have been avoided,” he said. “It has nothing to do with talent, it has nothing to do with the plan. We just have to do a better operational job of handling some of these situations.”
Williams and the Bears started to get going early in the second quarter after Amen Ogbongbemiga intercepted a pass deep in Chicago territory. The Bengals were on the 22-yard line when Josh Blackwell hit Woodside as he threw, and the ball popped up, leading to the interception.
Chicago took over at the 26-yard line. A 43-yard pass interference penalty on Josh Newton trying to defend a pass to Tyler Scott put the ball on the 15-yard line, leading to a Bears field goal.
The Bears extended their lead on their next drive when Williams, throwing on the run, hit Odunze deep down the left sideline. The 45-yard completion was his longest of the preseason.
Williams then broke away from two defenders on third down for a 7-yard touchdown, making the score 10-0.
“It’s pretty unreal, honestly,” Odunze said. “I just watched him. He throws a leg and puts it on my outside shoulder. It’s like, oooh! It’s magic what he does out there in that backfield. He’s special.”
FOLLOWING
Bengals: Host Indianapolis on Thursday.
Bears: Visit Kansas City on Thursday.
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