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Caleb Williams throws 4 touchdown passes as the Bears take on the Jaguars

Caleb Williams throws 4 touchdown passes as the Bears take on the Jaguars
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  • Courtney Cronin, ESPN staff writerOct. 13, 2024, 11:51 a.m. ET

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      Courtney Cronin joined ESPN in 2017 and originally covered the Minnesota Vikings before moving to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a frequent panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She also co-hosts the Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She previously worked as a multimedia sportswriter at the San Jose Mercury News.

LONDON – The Chicago Bears offense did things on Sunday that hadn't been seen in a long time or ever before.

Tight end Cole Kmet had to play long snaps due to an injury and also caught two touchdown passes. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams threw four touchdown passes, the most for a Bears rookie since Cade McNown in 1999. Williams has nine passing touchdowns, already the fourth-most touchdowns by a Bears rookie in a franchise single season. Story.

It started with Williams faking a pass left and then right on the Bears' third drive, finding Kmet open in the middle of the field for a 31-yard touchdown. The tight end broke two tackles around his ankles and scored, giving the Bears their first lead of the game over the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was the second-longest touchdown of his career.

What happened immediately afterwards probably put even more pressure on Kmet.

After long snapper Scott Daly suffered a knee injury on the Bears' second punt, Kmet, Chicago's emergency long snapper, began warming up on the sideline. He stayed on the field after his score and hit the extra point, giving the Bears a 7-3 lead with 11:17 left in the second quarter.

Williams led the Bears before halftime with a 10-play, 85-yard scoring drive. He caught two first downs with his legs: a 23-yard scramble that brought Chicago to midfield before the two-minute warning and a 19-yard run after escaping the pocket to lead the Bears to the to bring the goal line. The rookie found Kmet in the end zone again for a touchdown, giving the Bears a 14-3 lead.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus said at halftime that Kmet practices long snaps every Thursday.

“I think he might be the first player in history to have two touchdowns and two snaps,” Eberflus said.

Williams added a third touchdown pass in the third quarter when he hit Keenan Allen for a 9-yard score. Williams became the first Bears rookie to throw three touchdowns since Cade McNown had four in one game and three in another in 1999.

Allen caught Williams' fourth touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter as the Bears were rolling.

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