Kyle Long Uncovers Shocking Vulnerability That Could Make or Break Caleb Williams’ Future

Watching Caleb Williams launch into his rookie NFL season opener for the Chicago Bears, I couldn’t help but wonder—is this the dawn of a flashy new quarterback era, or just a tease dressed up in a promising first quarter? Williams dazzled to start, hitting his first 10 passes with the precision of a seasoned pro, lighting up the Soldier Field crowd. But as the game trudged on against the Minnesota Vikings, that early magic faded, revealing a gnarly pattern of accuracy issues that brought back echoes of his college days. When the pressure mounted and defenses tightened, Williams’ throws—especially the deeper ones—start missing their mark more often than not. So, is this the glass ceiling for the Bears’ rookie signal-caller, or just the growing pains before he truly finds his groove? Let’s dive deep into what former Bears lineman Kyle Long sees as the real snag in Caleb’s game… and why that 70% completion benchmark isn’t just some random stat thrown around.

The Chicago Bears rookie quarterback started Monday night’s season opener with precision that had fans dreaming of a new era.

Caleb Williams completed his first 10 passes against the Minnesota Vikings and found the end zone early.

The hot streak didn’t last long.

Williams went from 11-of-13 to finishing 21-of-35 for just 60% completion.

The drop-off became more noticeable as the game progressed.

Of his 14 incomplete passes, at least 10 appeared to be on the quarterback rather than defensive pressure or receiver issues.

Former Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long recently broke down Williams’ performance on CBS Sports HQ, pointing to a specific area that needs attention.

“Nobody watched more Caleb Williams going into this season than Ben Johnson. And when he said his benchmark, his goal, for the quarterback this season is 70% completion percentage. We could see why that was the point of emphasis last night. […] Caleb was forced to make plays down the field and that’s where the accuracy issues showed their head multiple times in big-time spots in the game,” Long said.

"The accuracy issues showed their head multiple times in big time spots of the game, that's an area of concern."@Ky1eLong speaks on Caleb Williams' performance last night in loss to Vikings. pic.twitter.com/n0C7B5NVyo

— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) September 9, 2025

The early success came largely on short passes and checkdowns.

Many of those completions were there because offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had Williams positioned perfectly.

When Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores adjusted his scheme, Williams struggled with deeper throws in crucial moments.

Williams had only two instances where he held the ball with an open receiver available.

The other eight incompletions were inaccurate throws to open targets.

The concerning part wasn’t how Williams started the game.

He looked calm and accurate through the first quarter.

The problem was how quickly his rhythm disappeared when Minnesota forced him to beat them vertically.

This pattern echoes struggles from his college career.

Williams could deliver perfect stretches of play only to follow them with periods where nothing seemed to connect.

The post Kyle Long Reveals Big Area Of Concern For Caleb Williams appeared first on The Cold Wire.