Bears squander 17-6 lead, fall to Vikings in Williams' opener

Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears squandered a 17-6 fourth-quarter advantage and fell to the Minnesota Vikings 27-24 in Monday night’s season opener at Soldier Field, a game that showcased both the quarterback’s potential and the vulnerabilities that have dogged him and the franchise. Williams delivered a near-flawless first half but struggled after intermission as the Vikings turned up the pressure and the Bears compounded mistakes with costly penalties and a missed field goal.

Chicago’s opening offensive series set the tone. The Bears marched 61 yards in 10 plays, with Williams completing his first 10 passes and capping the drive with a nine-yard touchdown run. He started the game 10-for-10, the longest streak of completions to open a season-opener since 1978, and finished 21 of 35 for 210 yards with a passing touchdown, while adding a rushing touchdown and 58 yards on six scrambles, according to game statistics.

The second half told a different story. Williams went 8 of 19 for 98 yards after halftime, overthrowing multiple wide-open targets at key moments and looking less decisive in the pocket. He acknowledged the team lost focus, saying after the game, Everybody’s focus...