"Caleb Williams is more symptom than problem": NFL analyst delivers harsh truth on Bears QB's struggles in downtrodden Bears culture

NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears - Source: Imagn
NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears - Source: Imagn

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears walked away disappointed from their Monday Night Football clash with the Minnesota Vikings despite an optimistic performance. The Bears led the first three quarters but collapsed in the fourth, as Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy put up 21 unanswered points at one stage.

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While there were plenty of positives for Chicago to take away from the game, many still believe that the franchise is struggling with issues that have plagued it for much of its history. The major problems relate to the Bears' overall culture, and whether new head coach Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams can fix them remains to be seen.

NFL analyst Doug Gottlieb addressed the Bears' problems on Tuesday's episode of "The Doug Gottlieb Show." He spoke about the overarching issues that Chicago grapples with and how that flows into smaller issues when it comes to the team's overall gameplay.

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"The hardest thing to do in coaching is teaching a team how to win," he said. "'Cause you can take 'em to the water, but, man, you just can't make 'em drink ... When you're losing games, it's really hard to turn that around."

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He mentioned Jim Harbaugh, as it pertains to JJ McCarthy, when it comes to culture. Harbaugh coached McCarthy to a national championship at Michigan.

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"Honestly, that's what Jim Harbaugh does best. He finds a way to create a culture where winning is expected. And even with guys that haven't necessarily done it yet, they do it at the NFL level."

Gottlieb contrasted this with the Bears' poor performance in key moments:

"Caleb Williams missed some throws. Caleb Williams looked overwhelmed against some of the pressure ... There's some things he does really well. But Caleb Williams is more the symptom than the problem. And it's a symptom of the greater thing which is, the Bears don't know how to win those games, and the Vikings do."
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Looking at Caleb Williams and the Bears' fourth-quarter collapse against the Vikings

The Bears had a very steady foothold on the Vikings after three quarters. After a pick-6 by Nahshon Wright, Chicago was up 17-6.

However, the Bears' defense went silent, as JJ McCarthy hit Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones for touchdowns, and ran one in himself, to suddenly leave the Bears down 27-17.

Williams pulled Chicago back into contention with a touchdown pass to Rome Odunze, but it was too little too late, and the hosts started their campaign with a 27-24 loss.

Chicago Bears Nation! Check out the latest Chicago Bears Schedule and dive into the Bears Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Nicolaas Ackermann
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