INDIANAPOLIS — Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson find themselves in similar predicaments.
Both left college early carrying the label of strong-armed quarterbacks, capable of making big plays with their feet.
Both were drafted by teams seeking long-term stability at a position that had become a revolving door. Now, both are trying to show they can match the hype by becoming the faces of their respective franchises.
Two games into this season, though, both are already hearing the critics complain about low completion percentages, missed throws and blown opportunities.
So Sunday, when Williams and the Chicago Bears visit Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts, both will have another chance to get their seasons back on track.
“Obviously, we didn’t do enough," Richardson said Wednesday, referring to Indy's 0-2 start. "If we scored more points than the other team, we win. So that’s the main thing on our mind. That’s our thought process — putting up points and just executing the offense.”
While it sounds simple, it hasn't been.
The biggest questions about Richardson in the 2023 draft were whether he could be accurate enough to succeed in the NFL and his lack of starting experience. He hasn't had much of a chance to answer.
Last season, Richardson started four games and finished one before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. He's already started and finished two this season, but his completion rate, 49.1%, is the lowest of any starting quarterback in the NFL. He also threw three interceptions and fumbled twice in last week's loss at Green Bay.
And although the Colts (0-2) have used big plays to keep scores close, they've been unable to sustain drives. Opponents have kept the ball nearly 40 minutes per game.
Colts coach Shane Steichen believes it's all part of the learning curve.
“There’s going to be different looks that you’ve got to adjust to,” Steichen said. “I think with time, the more you play, the more you’re going to see and the more you’re going to get better. So that’s the process for a young quarterback.”
Accuracy also has been an issue for Williams. Only five quarterbacks, including Richardson, have lower completion rates (56.1%) than this year's No. 1 overall draft pick and only one starter, the recently benched Bryce Young, averages fewer yards per game than Williams (133.5).
He's also thrown two interceptions and is still looking for his NFL score.
The bigger problem: Staying upright. Williams has been sacked nine times, tied for most in the league, and he was hit so much last week at Houston he was still sore Wednesday.
“Yeah. I’m a little bruised up, but body-wise, movement, all of that, I feel good," he said. “Throwing and running around, we just had a walkthrough and things like that. Kind of get a test of the treatment and all of that I've gotten over the past couple of days.”
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But it's not just Williams who has been off.
The Bears rushing average ranks 27th (77.5 yards per game), 28th in yards per carry (3.5) and they're one of five teams heading into Week 3 with just one offensive TD.
Chicago coach Matt Eberflus knows the problems don't just rest on Williams' shoulders. They just have to be fixed.
“It's fundamentals and basics,” he said. “It’s important that we get that down as a group. So we’re going back to that. That’s what wins football games.”
Frustrated receivers
Michael Pittman Jr. and DJ Moore are the No. 1 receivers for the Colts and Bears. Last weekend, they also shared a common frustration, too.
No, they weren't calling for more passes. They just want to see the offense to get in sync.
“We were chasing that one play, and we just couldn’t get it," Moore said Wednesday, expressing regret for his body language during last week's game. “We really need to — somebody, anybody — get it going, and we just couldn’t. That was the real frustration.”
Pittman had a similar experience last season, apologizing three days after speaking up. He then responded by catching 53 passes over the next six games, four of which Indy won.
The connection
Eberflus knows all about Indianapolis. Heck, he spent four years working at Colts headquarters as the team's defensive coordinator before taking the Chicago job.
But he also brought his team to the Colts training camp last year for a preseason game and two days of joint practices at Indy's training camp site in Westfield, Indiana, a suburb on the northwest side of Indianapolis — a short drive down I-65 from Chicago.
“They fly around pretty good. I've got a lot of respect for Floose," Steichen said, using Eberflus' nickname in describing the Bears defense. “They are aggressive. They’ll bring some pressures. They’ll do some different things — some line movement.”
Buck stops
Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner has been a model player for the Colts. Not only has he performed at a consistently high level, he's been a game-day fixture, missing only one game, in November 2020 when he was put on the COVID-19 list.
He won't be there to help Sunday, though. Buckner went on injured reserve Tuesday and will miss at least the next four games. It's yet another blow for the league's worst run defense.