Bears’ Future Devin Hester and NFL Rules Changes
Hall of Fame and former bear Devin Hester talks about this Chicago football all about, discussing changes to the rules for returning punts, and his partnership with the USAA.
Seriously sports
- Caleb Williams excelled in his first preseason game running Ben Johnson’s offensive.
- Chicago looked great on both sides of the ball after what looked like a very successful offseason.
- Still, there are many reasons why fans should stick to their expectations for at least a year.
NFL football savvy consumers know better than putting too much stock in preseason performance. I hope the same applies to anyone writing about the NFL for Living. For example, we see the Chicago Bears look like a potential juggernaut, perhaps a Super Bowl candidate, a 38-0 Sunday night, and we know that for example, some of us will be a bit bubbling.
pump. . brake.
nevertheless…
Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams made his game-day debut on Sunday, albeit a contest that doesn’t count, with rookie head coach Ben Johnson’s offense. And Williams saw wonderful. Finally.
Yes, he was on all two drives. Yes, he was facing a Buffalo defender who is likely to compete for (at best) deep chart work in 2025. No, he would not have seen an exotic scheme designed to confuse and annoy him. Certainly, Chicago’s second possession stalled after six plays, bringing punts.
But did you see that first drive?
Maybe we should review the last 16 months or so before we become obsessed at this point.
It was a year ago that optimism was surged in Chicago, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft. But he didn’t. After spending the best rookie season of all time, while Williams’ Jaden Daniels quickly turned the Warbegone franchise and perhaps leading Washington commander to a performance that resets the NFC title game – Williams’ bar, the Chosen Man was chosen
Daniels was outstanding, but Williams was torpedoed in his own bad habits, his cruelly tough divisions, and the infrastructure of an organization that simply could not raise him. Chicago was 5-12, with head coach Matt Evals becoming the first coach to have more than a century of Bears football fired before the season ended.
However, this year, I feel that even if scrutiny has been enhanced in some way, it is already different.
Certainly, while trying to ingest his new playbook, it was virtually the daily summer dose of social media clips that Williams vomits his frustration during practice, whether in the right context or not. Even as the coach attempts to ease expectations around his new quarterback and team, he is openly welcoming Johnson’s indistinguishable approach and meticulous scheme.
Then came on Sunday.
There was Williams and opened the game by repeatedly flapping the ball onto his tight edge, with trusted Cole Kumet and first-round rookie Colston Loveland. He then compressed the pass to veteran slotman Olamide Zachoh, and the catch-and-run achieved high levels of difficulty and productivity over the past three seasons, bringing a 36-yard touchdown reminiscent of dozens of Johnson, successfully receiving the Detroit Lions offense.
But it wasn’t just Williams’ numbers. This included five completions with six 97 yards throws during that first March. He was accurate. He was decisive. He showed off his patented pocket mobility, but he didn’t overexpand himself. He didn’t want to make something out of what he often worked for during his college career, including the Heisman Trophy, but not against experts, but rather ran through the ball at the feet of a lineman when plays failed to develop.
“I think it’s important to start fast. That was one of our goals to be in this game,” Williams said during the Fox broadcast. “Team sets the tone for the season.”
It was certainly a snippet of what would make the 2025 Bears campaign successful.
“The challenge is to get it to that direction,” Johnson said Sunday.
Anyway, whether it’s the pre-season or the regular season, these are building blocks that Chicago can build on a new foundation. Williams will definitely need to play hero ball from time to time in 2025, but not in the first quarter. He doesn’t have to absorb unnecessary punishments – he was fired 68 times as a rookie – returning to prison escape football, Johnson undoubtedly tries to dig out of him.
The Bears won nine NFL championships in their proud history, but won only one in the Super Bowl era that began in 1966. Williams knows.
“You want to be able to come to places like this with a lot of history and make them,” he said.
But he has time. Johnson has time. Paul has time. Young and promising rosters have time. But it’s almost certainly time for 2025 to shine.
A successful Bears season requires patience from Hard Drive Johnson as his new accusations progress with his attacks. If he’s not burned constantly on local talk radio, like his predecessors like Eberflus and Matt Nagy, it’s a victory. If Johnson doesn’t anger himself while his players master his system – no trick play has been revealed on Sunday – the Lions took off almost immediately during his first season as their play caller, but it’s a victory.
For the Bears’ season to be successful, it is a positive development for new coordinator Dennis Allen to regain defense at the top of the heap and pitch a shutout in any situation. If the Bears’ season is successful, second-year wideoutro Mao Dunze Blossom will be the number one target.
A successful Bears season may not be better than a third-place finish in the NFC North. It is probably the toughest division in the league, and can realistically generate three playoff entries. a Really A successful Bears season includes at least a split with the hateful Green Bay Packers.
But for the team, it’s been removed nearly 15 years since their last playoff victory, but has there only been one in just seven months since they chose their latest Savior and hired a man who could ultimately succeed Mike Ditka? Third, perhaps eight wins, and perhaps 106 seasons of passing efforts represent realistic progress. And perhaps the right kindling to incite the legitimate Super Bowl flames in 2026.
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