Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has been hot over the past three weeks. He went from 39 yards in the first game that Caleb Williams was back to 69 in the second game and then 87 yards in the Week 8 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson credits Odunze's attention to detail as a reason for the rise.
Chicago Bears HC Praises WR Rome Odunze
“These guys are doing a great job just with the details of where they're supposed to be,” said Johnson in his press conference. “I think Caleb's completing the ball at a high rate right now and distributing it to to really all these guys. So, we kind of have some lulls there early in the season of who's getting the ball when they're getting the ball, and last few games, it feels like it's getting distributed to everybody at a at a cleaner rate.”
Johnson essentially admitted that early into the season Williams was working out how to get everyone involved. Then, he got hurt and the offense did not take steps forward in the passing game. Now, you are seeing the version of Odunze fans envisioned.
Johnson noted that the flow of the game, and who is hot will determine who has the most yards that game. However, the team has never wavered on Odunze, whether he produces that week or not.
“You don't know when it's going to be, it kind of goes in cycles. A few weeks ago, Luther came out hot early in the game and Coulson took us through the middle eight and then iit was Rome in at the back end. So, it can be difficult at times to to get everybody fed the way they deserve. But, we see them make those plays in practice every single week and and we know it's just a matter of time before the ball gets to any of our pass catchers.”
Odunze averaged 1.18 yards per route run in his rookie season. That went up to 1.53 in his first year with Ben Johnson. However, now he is up to 1.65. That is at 1.83 in the four games that Williams has started and finished this year. The past three weeks have him on pace for 62 catches for 1,105 yards over a 17-game sample size.
The ascension has been slower than expected for a former top-ten pick, but the production is starting to show. The Bears face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, and they have two talented cornerbacks. We will see how Odunze looks.
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