The Shocking Takeaway from Nashville
You expect defenses to tighten up as joint practices hit the second half. That’s the norm. The Titans usually clamp down while the Bears offense cools off. Not on Thursday. The most surprising thing you’ll see all preseason? The Bears’ tight ends turned out to be the most effective weapon for Chicago today.
It wasn’t just one guy taking over; the whole group did. While the Titans’ defense scrambled to figure out the offense, they got beaten repeatedly over the middle. That sent a clear message to the rest of the league before the regular season even kicks off.
Williams Finds His Rhythm Early
Quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t seem to mind the heat one bit. He came out firing from the very first snap. Adam Hoge from CHGO reported he finished 9-for-11 on the day, including six straight completions. The two misses? Just a throwaway and a drop. His targets were spread around to eight different receivers.
NFL on Fox’s Ben Arthur noted that Williams made some special plays on the field. He highlighted a great throw to Rome Odunze that went right through layers of defenders. Main Street Nashville’s Blaine Kellar recorded just three incompletions by Williams in the whole first half. It was a clean, sharp performance that showed Williams is ready to lead.
The Titans defense finally woke up in the second half. They started generating pressure, which forced Williams to make some poorer throws as the practice wound down. But the damage was already done. The offense found a rhythm that the defense couldn’t break for a long time.
Colston Loveland Is a Monster
Everyone knew the rookie tight end was good. But seeing him work against another team’s defense changes the narrative. Parker Kelley of 102.5 The Game said Loveland “looks legit man.” That’s high praise from a reporter who sees players every single day (and usually isn’t easily impressed).
A to Z Sports Nashville called him “big, tall, fast, and very good.” He was having his way with the Titans’ defense all afternoon. He made big plays and bounced off would-be tacklers. With the ball spread around so much, he got plenty of chances. Caleb has thrown to eight different receivers, yet Loveland was the clear standout.
Defenses are going to face a serious problem from him this year. The more national media members observe him, the more they’ll say the same things. The Bears are going to lean on him heavily. It’s clear he’s going to be a key part of the offense.
The Goal Line Trick Play
The offense didn’t just rely on simple routes. They showed some real creativity near the end zone. Johnson drew up a nifty trick play at the goal line. Williams faked a run to Roschon Johnson and an end-around to Kalif Raymond.
Then he lofted a perfect pass to Kmet in the back of the end zone. It was a beautiful play that caught the defense flat-footed. Sam Roush also caught a deep ball before making a leaping touchdown from Case Keenum. While Stephen Carlson and Qadir Ismail made plays as well, the top three players at the position will be counted on heavily.
The defense tried to stop it, but it was tough for Tennessee to get a hand on at times. The Bears offense looked sharp and dangerous. They found a way to score that the Titans simply couldn’t stop.
The preseason is winding down fast. Chicago will finish off the preseason against the Tennessee Titans on Sat. Aug. 29. This game in Nashville will be the final tune-up before the regular season starts. The team needs to stay healthy after cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson exited with injuries.
The regular season opener against the Carolina Panthers is on Sept. 13.
