The Chicago Bears couldn't keep the chains in motion in Week 8. They hit the road to face a Baltimore Ravens team that desperately needed a win but wouldn't have Lamar Jackson on the field. Unfortunately, the offensive miscues were just too big to overcome.
The Bears had to settle for a 30-16 loss that wasn't as lopsided as one might think from the final score. Ultimately, some erratic throws and bad decisions by Caleb Williams hurt the team in key moments. That was evident in his fourth-quarter interception, but also in a first-half intentional grounding.
Caleb Williams And Colston Loveland Aren't on The Same Page
When asked about that evident miscue, the second-year pro admitted that he wasn't on the same page with rookie tight end Colston Loveland, his intended receiver. Still, as shown by Scot Bair of Marquee Sports, it's not that he blamed him or anything.
"The intentional grounding, we just weren't on the same page with [Colston] Loveland. I was throwing him breaking out. It was a choice route. This isn’t anything about Loveland; we just weren’t on the same page. It’s a choice route. He has a couple different options to break, break in, sit or break out, and we just weren’t on the same page. That comes with reps, so I think that’s what it comes down to," Williams said, per Bair.
Even so, it was nice to finally hear someone address the elephant in the room. Loveland has been little more than a premium decoy in Ben Johnson's offense, and it's become painfully evident that he needs to develop some rapport with his quarterback.
All in all, the rookie out of Michigan still had the best game of his young career, hauling in a career-best-tying three receptions on a career-best five targets for a career-high 38 receiving yards. That speaks volumes about the lack of involvement in the passing game.
The Bears used the No. 10 pick to get Loveland, who was considered to be the second-best tight end prospect entering the league this season. Fast forward to today, and the Bears have watched Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin Jr. look like stars in the making, all while Loveland can barely get a look.
Considering that Loveland missed time this offseason after shoulder surgery and was also dealing with a hip injury this season, he has missed important reps with Williams. And that came into the picture against the Ravens.
Of course, some players need more time to figure things out, and that shouldn't be all on him. But now that Williams has said it out in the open, the coaching staff needs to make sure they develop some chemistry once and for all.