Caleb Williams runs a 4.57-second 40-yard dash, which is pretty fast. In college, that’s good enough to dodge and outrun almost all defensive linemen and linebackers and even some blitzing safeties and cornerbacks.
But in the NFL? Nope.
After the Bears’ 24-17 comeback victory Sunday against the Titans, what you came away with was this: The rookie quarterback is one of the luckiest men in the NFL. Not only is he uninjured, but he’s 1-0, the first quarterback drafted No. 1 overall in 22 years to win his first start.
Williams did almost nothing to propel that comeback. It was all the Bears’ defense and special teams: a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, an interception for a touchdown and the lockdown of Titans quarterback Will Levis when it mattered most.
Williams missed a few passes badly, and you wonder about those. In NFL.com’s predraft prospect analysis, there were two statements in the ‘‘weakness’’ area for Williams that resonate: ‘‘Disconcerting deep ball accuracy in QB-friendly offense’’ and ‘‘Must learn to throw with better anticipation/timing at the NFL level.’’
Now, those are probably areas every incoming quarterback must improve on. You can’t miss deep balls, for instance, to receivers who break free suddenly when they zip into the weak spot in zones. You have to know in advance what’s going to happen.
This ability requires an IQ that’s hard to measure. It has to do with study, recognition, timing, anticipation, practice, arm strength, physics and feel. The lesser quarterbacks never can
learn it; the great ones who have it win Super Bowls.
We’ll see how Williams, a superstar in college, progresses in the big leagues. First games historically mean little for the greats. Hall of Famers John Elway, Terry Bradshaw and Troy Aikman, for example, all had worse starts than Williams, with his 93 passing yards and 55.7 passer rating.
For me, however, the thing that stands out beyond all was a play one hopes was a big-time learning lesson for Williams.
On that play, he dropped back to pass, faking a handoff to running back D’Andre Swift, a move that barely fazed 6-2, 332-pound Titans defensive end Keondre Coburn. Williams gave a shoulder fake, then spun as Coburn nearly dragged him down.
The play started at the Titans’ 25-yard line, and Williams did his spin at the 37. Titans lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day (6-4, 310) was waiting next, arms out and pursuing, and Williams did another spin to try to elude him. But Joseph-Day ignored it and brought him down. The ball was now at the 44, 19 yards behind where the play started and out of field-goal range.
Williams’ moves — and even his decision to stay on his feet — were things that might have worked at USC against Arizona State or Stanford, but they’re not going to work against the big boys in the NFL. Not against a guy such as Joseph-Day, who had a 10-yard combine split of 1.68 seconds and hit 16.46 mph in the 40-yard dash. He also had a vertical jump of 31.5 inches.
These things matter. There are defensive ends in the NFL who are faster than Williams. There are men such as his own teammate, 265-pound Montez Sweat, who ran a 4.41-second 40 at the combine and had a long jump of 10 feet, 5 inches. These men are as athletic as running backs and safeties used to be. But they’re huge.
Williams must remember this. Heft is everywhere in the NFL, but speed and athleticism kill.
‘‘I missed a few passes I normally don’t miss,’’ Williams said after the game.
Indeed, he did. We’ll call it nerves, uncertainty, a baptism of sorts.
Those throws should come to him. He didn’t get where he is by luck. But, man, he needs to remember a couple of things. The big men in the NFL run like jackrabbits.
Vikings rookie outside linebacker Dallas Turner (6-3, 250) ran an insane 4.46-second 40 at the combine. In his debut game Sunday against the Giants, he sacked quarterback Daniel Jones like Pac-Man swallowing a yellow dot.
Dolphins rookie defensive end/outside linebacker Chop Robinson runs a 4.48-second 40. Rams rookie defensive end Braden Fiske (6-4, 295) runs a 4.78-second 40 and had five tackles in the opener against the Lions.
There’s lots more speed out there. It’s a different world. Spin moves can get a quarterback plastered, knock his team out of position.
Williams has been advised.