Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is still getting acquainted with a new coaching staff. And the new coaching staff is realizing something about Williams.
He loves the two-minute drill.
‘‘The best thing he does is the unscripted stuff, the two-minute stuff,’’ offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said Saturday, via Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘[That’s] where he’s able to go out and really play and show the competitiveness that makes him who he is.’’
It’s also a fairly important stage of any NFL game.
‘‘That’s where he has an edge,” Doyle added. “He’s not going to allow you to sack him. He’s going to evade. He’s going to do things that you can’t really teach at times.”
Quarterback Case Keenum, who has been around the league for a long time, sees it too.
‘‘The majority of games in this league come down to one possession,’’ Keenum said, via Finley. ‘‘The great ones, they want the ball in their hand, and you can tell Caleb wants the ball in his hand in those moments.
‘‘Two-minute is a drill where you can rely on guts and instincts, your past training and . . . the fire of competition and who’s a competitor. There’s certain guys, when the lights turn on, that switch just flips. And he’s got that switch where he can turn it on. And I can’t wait to watch it at Soldier Field and all over the league this year.’’
Saturday’s two-minute period ended with a great play and a not-great one from Williams. After throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Cole Kmet, Williams misfired on a throw to receiver DJ Moore. It was intercepted by cornerback Nahshon Wright.
‘‘We’ll get it corrected,’’ Doyle said. ‘‘And we won’t make the mistake twice.’’
Fine, but mistakes will always happen. It’s what a guy does after making one that matters. And if that opportunity comes for Williams in the inherent pressure of a two-minute offense, the mistakes will quickly be forgotten in the adrenaline of that moment.
