A win is a win, is a gosh darn win (My fingers typed ‘gosh darn’ my brain was thinking a different combination of words)!

The haters were out in full force before this game. “First-overall picks never win their first game.” Heck, I had the haters coming into my Twitter mentions at halftime!

But you know what, ladies and gentlemen? Caleb Williams’ career record is 1-0.

I mean, the last time Aaron Rodgers started a game, threw for as many yards as Caleb Williams, and won the game you have to go all the way back to 2022.

That’s why everyone guaranteeing a loss to Williams was just silly. The reason first-overall QBs never win their first game is that they are literally on the worst team in the league. That was not the case for Caleb.

Did Caleb play well enough to win the game? Of course not. But his team did, and that’s how you support a rookie QB and Ryan Poles knows this.

Williams does get credit for not making crippling mistakes. That may not seem like much, but we have seen our share of rookie QBs flat-out lose games for the team. The fact that Caleb Williams didn’t have his A game (and the A stands for accuracy), but made good decisions with the football and didn’t turn it over speaks volumes for what he can be as a quarterback as he develops.

As for the rest of the team? Hats off to Richard Hightower. I cannot overstate how impressed I was with the special teams unit. Travis Homer was a beast. DeAndre Carter proved why he earned that roster spot. Is Daniel Hardy and Jonathan Owens blocking a punt for a touchdown? Well done. The special teams covered well too. They were awesome.

Except for you, Velus Jones. First, it’s not Velus’ fault that he fell into Rome Odunze, so let’s not get after him for that. But fans that have the “Of course it was Velus” attitude about the Odunze injury, I hear you. There’s just something off about his career. The football Gods are shouting at Ryan Poles and we hear Poles on Hard Knocks, “He’s alive!” He loves Velus Jones and wants it to work. I know it’s hard to quit his speed, but man, at some point you have to sit there and go, “Noah Lyles is fast but he’s not an NFL player, he’s a track star. Velus Jones is fast but he’s not an NFL player, he’s a ferret wrangler.”

I certainly hope that Jones is inactive when the Chicago Bears take on the Houston Texans and Roschon Johnson is elevated to the active roster but I fear this may be a blind spot the organization has as a whole.

As for the defense, just one word: Bravo. Was it perfect? Heck no. Did they leave some plays open and Will Levis failed to take advantage? Absolutely. But you honestly couldn’t ask for more from a week one performance than that. They turned the ball over, they held strong on third downs, and they didn’t let Levis get comfortable. They did everything they needed to do.

It’s impossible to call out individuals on the defense. Most of them played outstanding. If I had to do the three stars on defense, I would go with Jaylon Johnson, Darrell Taylor, and DeMarcus Waker. That’s right, Tyrique Stevenson has a PICK SIX and doesn’t make the top three. That’s how well they played.

It’s only one game, but this feels perfect to me. Let the defense dominate early while the offense gets its bearings and if they can come into their own by the end of October and this team stays healthy, they are going to be a problem for the league the last two months of the season.

Quick Hits

• Fans were surprised Tyler Scott was inactive but I would expect that most weeks unless there’s an injury and he’s bumped up to WR3. He doesn’t play on special teams.
• Darrell Taylor will be a fabulous acquisition, even if he doesn’t play THAT well moving forward.
• I don’t think Gervon Dexter played as well as others did. He made some excellent plays but needs to become more consistent with his play.
• DeMarcus Walker may have played his best game as a Chicago Bear.
• Tremaine Edmunds still isn’t playing up to his contract, but his tackle on 3rd and 3 on Tajae Spears was one of the plays of the game.
• The OL as a unit struggled, but both Darnell Wright and Braxton Jones played well.
• Teven Jenkins was a bigger issue pass blocking than Coleman Shelton.
• Tory “King Pin” or “Pin Ball Wizard” Taylor with a nice debut but room to be better.
• I thought Matt Eberflus’ fourth quarter decisions were better.
• Caleb Williams is the Bears quarterback. Be excited!