Bears training camp observations: Defense has ‘gut check’ vs. Caleb Williams in two-minute drill

Bears training camp observations: Defense has ‘gut check’ vs. Caleb Williams in two-minute drill originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears finished their first block of training camp practices Tuesday at Halas Hall, with the defense once again getting the upper hand on quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense in the two-minute period.

The offense took the field down by four with 1:20, one timeout, and the ball on their own 40.

Williams opened the drive with a 9-yard completion to DeAndre Carter and a 3-yard hook-up to Collin Johnson to move the sticks. A 4-yard completion to running back Khalil Herbert set up a second-and-6 at the opposing 45.

Edge rusher Jacob Martin blew past right tackle Darnell Wright for what could have been a sack, but Williams stepped up and took off for a 16-yard scramble. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was also flagged for holding on the play to set the offense up at the 24.

Williams then hit Rome Odunze over the middle for a gain of 10 and then found Carter for 7 to get the offense inside the 10 with under 30 seconds to go.

Then, the Bears’ defense buckled down.

On second-and-3, rookie Austin Booker got quick pressure, and Williams’ pass to Herbert fell incomplete. On third down, Williams dropped back and tried to thread the needle to Odunze in the back corner of the end zone, but Stevenson jumped the route and got a hand on the pass to break it up.

With 16 seconds left, Williams and the offense faced a fourth and three from the 7. Williams dropped back and saw tight end Cole Kmet come open over the middle in the end zone. Williams let it rip toward his tight end, but linebacker Tremaine Edmunds closed fast and broke the pass up to win the drill for the defense.

“It’s a gut check. It’s a gut check,” defensive coordinator Eric Washington said of the stop in the red zone. “And listen, you can be in great shape in terms of preparing for training camp, but once you get out on the football field and you’re…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bears-training-camp-observations-defense-191019673.html

Author : NBC Sports Chicago

Publish date : 2024-07-23 19:10:19

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.