Editor’s note: The Bears kickoff the season on Sunday, September 8 at noon vs. the Titans. Tune in to the Marquee Sports Network App immediately after the game for The Official Bears Postgame Live presented by United Airlines. For more information on how to watch, click here: https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/shows/bearspostgame/.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Caleb Williams doesn’t get nervous before games. The Bears quarterback won’t let emotion impact his game play by sticking to the technique, talent and preparation that has gotten him this far.  

An NFL debut for the No. 1 overall pick should hit a little different. Williams insists not.

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He will, however, take a short beat to appreciate his surroundings. It happens at the same time every game.

“I do a little spin when I’m coming out of the tunnel,” Williams said in a Wednesday press conference. “I want to see the stadium, take it all in and feel the energy, the vibe and get going from there.

“Once I do my spin and get down to the sideline, it’s go time.”

After months of the offseason program and weeks of training camp, it finally is.

The Bears have spent countless hours preparing him for this, telling him to rely on the team’s top-shelf skill players while picking spots to be special.

There will be moments that Williams won’t see coming. That’s common in Week 1, when coaches create new play designs that can’t be found on tape. It’s inevitable on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, with first-time defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson calling the plays.

“Something that we say, ‘we’re not hunting ghosts,’” Williams said. “So, we’re not hunting ghosts of things that they may run, may not run. We’re kind of going off of things that we’ve seen, some of the base things that we do know.

There are rules to deal with unscouted looks and pressures, and it’s important to have a plan for them over making choices in the moment.

“You can set that up ahead of time rather than reacting, because when you react to something, a lot of times it’s not your best person that you want to be,” Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said. “…We’re always talking to our players about that, responding the right way and responding together and pulling together through adversity, and (Caleb is) no different.”

Williams understands that he won’t throw a perfect game on Sunday. And, whether it’s on Sunday or further down the line, major mistakes will come. It’s in the aftermath, however, where he must be sound and cauterize the wound.

“Understanding that the situation I’m in, bad things are going to happen every once in a while,” Williams said. “You’re going to throw a pick, you’re going to fumble — whether it’s me, whether it’s the team — when those moments of adversity strike, it’s more about encouraging, it’s more about understanding that we can get out of this situation and not bringing more negativity to the situation that comes up.”

Williams has the tools required to weather storms, a trait as important as the physical gifts that have made him a phenom. The same thing that helps avoid pregame jitters assists with troubled times, keeping him from getting rattled.

Others gravitate toward that even-keeled mindset, where there’s fun to be had but no reason to panic when issues arise.

Williams’ captaincy was born from that. It’s rare for rookies to wear the “C,” even quarterbacks, but he earned it through a vote of his peers.

“I say it speaks volumes for his leadership,” offensive lineman Tevin Jenkins said. “He’s a great dude, he knows what he’s doing and he works hard for us.”

The best Williams can do for his team Sunday is stay within himself, trust those around him to make plays and avoid letting the moment get on top of him. Williams insists that won’t happen, with a proven routine to help make sure that’s the case.

Veteran receiver Keenan Allen doesn’t buy the no nerves thing, but also has a logical mindset to not let them and all the new coming at Williams Sunday overwhelm.

“Football is still football,” Allen said. “It’s still 11 on 11. Still going to be tackling, still going to be running around and having fun. So that’s the good thing about it. The bad thing is the only thing that can really happen is it doesn’t go your way, and how do you respond? Keep things going. Stay under control and trust the guys around you.” 

Participation report

The first Bears participation report dropped on Wednesday afternoon, and every player participated in some capacity. WR Keenan Allen (heel), OL Kiran Amegadjie, (quad) OL Ryan Bates (shoulder), RB Roschon Johnson (toe), DL Zacch Picken (groin) and DL Montez Sweat (toe) were limited.

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