Caleb Williams’ debut wasn’t the most awe-inspiring performance, but it nonetheless ended in a Chicago Bears victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Williams managed just 92 passing yards in the game and was sacked twice, but the Bears managed to hold on for a 24-17 victory thanks to touchdowns by their special teams and their defense, with Jonathan Owens and Tyrique Stevenson doing the honors.
In all, the Bears’ offense was outgained 244-148 by the Titans in the game, giving them a truly rare victory in the team’s history.
According to Stathead, Sunday’s win is only the second the Bears have had since the 1971 season in which they gained fewer than 150 yards of total offense.
The other win came in the 2006 season when Rex Grossman and company managed just 107 yards in a 23-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings. That team, of course, went on to appear in the Super Bowl, losing to the Indianapolis Colts in Miami.
Williams also became just the fourth quarterback chosen with the No. 1 overall pick to win in Week 1 of his rookie season in the common draft era, joining Jim Plunkett, John Elway and David Carr in that unique group.
Speaking of Carr, Williams will square off against the Houston Texans in Week 2 as the Bears hit the road for Sunday Night Football on Sept. 15, with kickoff at 7:20 p.m. on NBC.