NFC Notes: Jordan Love, Caleb Williams, Malik Willis, Bears, Packers

Bears

Bears QB Caleb Williams said he expects to be sore after he was sacked seven times in his first career loss on Sunday night, with HC Matt Eberflus weighing in on his team’s offensive effort.

“I’m a little bruised up,” Williams said, via NFL.com. “I took a couple of hits today. I’m going to get in ice tubs and do all the things I need to do to make sure my body is ready for tomorrow and practice other the other days and obviously next game.”

“That’s an everybody thing,” Eberflus commented after the loss. “We’ve got to do a great job with the O-line, tight ends, backs. Rhythm and timing on the passes. What’s the play design in terms of getting the ball out? His reads and all that. Again, it’s everybody, so we’ve got to clean that up.”

“There were certain points where I think he did a really good job riding up in the pocket and making some good throws, so some really good positives there to look at,” Eberflus added on Williams’ learning process as a rookie. “Then also he was able to evade the rush a couple of times and get on the perimeter a couple times. He has to be careful with the football after he gets out there when he throws the ball in a scramble drill. So great learning moments there for him in terms of the pressure that you’re talking about, of what to do and when to do it.”

Packers

Packers QB Malik Willis made his first start of the season in Week 2 as QB Jordan Love deals with an injury. Green Bay WR Christian Watson highlighted the added importance of practice reps this week and discussed the areas where they can thrive with Willis playing.

“[I]t’s really just kind of an experience thing with him, timing thing,” Watson said, via the team’s YouTube. “Just him getting a feel for us out there. Obviously haven’t gotten a lot of reps, so every rep we get right now through practice is really important. But it’s definitely been trending pretty positive for us. We made a lot of plays out there today, so it’s looking good.”

“I think the better we can be individually, on the perimeter specifically, the easier it’ll be for him. [I]n his eyes, if we’re where we need to be and we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, it’s going to make his job a lot easier. So, our job is to make it easy for the quarterback every week and this week will specifically be a little bit more so, obviously not having as much built up reps with Malik as we do with ’10’ [Love].”

Packers

Packers QB Malik Willis filled in for injured QB Jordan Love just weeks after being traded from Tennessee. Green Bay HC Matt LaFleur outlined how impressive it was for Willis to step in and lead them to a win right away.

“I don’t think you guys can appreciate or even comprehend the task … I mean, this guy got here three weeks ago and for him to be able to go out there and command our offense,” LaFleur said, via Mike Spofford of the team’s website.
“There was a lot put on his plate and for him to be able to go out there and do what he did today, I think that speaks volumes of who he is as a person and the work that he’s put in. Just super proud of him.”

Willis reflected on his time with the Titans where didn’t perform as well as he would have liked.

“The last opportunity I got to start a game was my rookie year,” Willis said. “I wasn’t where I wanted to be as far as the offense went, or just where I was playing NFL football as a rookie. You don’t control that.”
“This is a results-based business. That’s just what it is. I just continued to try to work until I got another opportunity and it just so happened it came this week.”