Assessing the panic level on the offense: 6 points on the Chicago Bears heading into Week 3

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - It feels like the Chicago Bears are in the same place we always knew them to be in: great defense; not great offense.

Here are six points on the Bears as we move from Week 2 to Week 3:

What's the panic level for the offensive line?

LEVEL: High

There's one major level to this.

Was the protection bad on Sunday night? Yes. Was it also suspect in Week 1? Also, yes. The team understands it.

The problem lies in the personnel. It's not deep.

Perhaps I'm too much of an optimist, but this unit can get better. The entire Bears' defense improved over the course of the season, why can't the offensive line improve? That's a unit that has veterans across the board?

The issue is, what if the starters now aren't cutting it? The Bears are already without guard/center Ryan Bates, who's on injured reserve, Kiran Amegadije isn't up to playing speed yet and guys like Doug Kramer and Bill Murray aren't at a level where they can be looked at as starters.

Matt Pryor can play tackle and guard, but he's just one guy on a line that has multiple problem spots.

If the Bears do decide to switch things up, it might be in a few weeks after Bates gets healthy and Amegadije is up to playing speed. That means the Bears need to find ways to  

What's the panic level for Caleb Williams?

LEVEL: Low

He's a rookie. He's starting his first two NFL games. There were going to be road bumps. Williams was better in Week 2, throwing for 174 yards and completing 62 percent of his passes.

He still had a passer rating of 51 and threw two interceptions, showing the wrong side of the double-edged sword he plays with.

"It's about knowing when and knowing how," Eberflus said. "He's got that special talent to be able to throw on the move. We don't want to take that away from him, but it's got to be where it's in conjunction with the receiver.

One of the interceptions was a scramble play on the run where he tried to hit Cole Kmet. Williams underthrew the pass.

Williams also tried to hit DJ Moore on a player Eberflus called a 50-50 ball, but Derek Stingley came up with the ball. 

"The one to Cole, he's got to put it where he can get it and nobody else can get it," Eberflus said. "DJ, when you throw those 50-50 balls, those should be 100% balls. Meaning that we're catching it or nobody's catching it."

It was an example of how different the NFL can be as opposed to playing college defenders in the PAC-12.

Williams remains undeterred. So should we.

"It felt great to be in the game, be in that type of game, that type of environment," Williams said. "I am excited for more. I know the team is excited for more. Getting back here, getting back with the guys, couldn’t be more excited."

The Bears' upcoming schedule is a friendly one 

Speaking of the panic level with Caleb Williams, the reason why I'm not too panicked about the rookie is the upcoming schedule.

The Colts, next for the Bears this week, struggled to stop the run. If the Bears can establish the run there, Williams will have chances to really get into a rhythm with play-action plays and when safeties drop lower in the box.

After that, the Bears have two-straight home games against the Rams and Panthers. The Rams are expected to be without their receiver duo of Cooper Kupp and Puca Nacua.

The Panthers might be starting Andy Dalton with a team that's, frankly, been terrible through two weeks.

Then, it's against the Jaguars in London and on the road against the Commanders, two teams that have struggled on offense. Washington's lone win came this week against the Giants.

You can count on the defense to be up to the task in those weeks. It comes down to the offense to put points on the board. Against the upcoming defenses, the Bears will have their chance to do that.

DJ Moore didn't have to open up on the outside noise, respect that he did

When social media captured Moore sitting on the benches with a massive frown, it brought back major Jay Cutler memories.

The term "body language" that describes a player's demeanor while their team is losing is always laughable.

Moore didn't have to talk about it. He did it anyway and I respect that he did. Plenty of players take that opportunity to shrug it aside or put it in a verbal wood chipper.

He said that's how he normally looks on the sidelines. He said he understood why it happened and said he's got to have a more keen understanding of his sideline demeanor. He also apologized if it looked like he was frustrated with Williams' play.

He wasn't, he said it himself, but social media and NFL Twitter are unforgiving.

Gervon Dexter is becoming the player the Bears bought into

The Bears defense makes it clear they'll never be satisfied.

Add Gervon Dexter Sr. to that list.

"Whoever's been aligned in that position and where we're a work in progress, there's more to be had for everyone," Bears' defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. "Starting with me."

Dexter was highlighted as a player the Bears need to break out. At the 3-technique tackle position, Eberflus has explained how that's one of the most important parts of his defense. 

He's lived up to the hype.

Through two weeks, Dexter has recorded two sacks, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits. That's exactly what the Bears wanted when they placed their faith in Dexter as their 3-technique defensive tackle.

From the coaching staff's perspective, they see the practice making perfect.

"He's focused on that particular moment, what we're emphasizing, the situations that we're working on," Washington said in Thursday. "He's working on what he's going to do in the game during practice."

CJ Stroud is genuinely a good guy 

Everyone's seen the viral video of CJ Stroud talking to Caleb Williams after the Texans beat the Bears.

The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year took Williams aside and imparted some words of wisdom.

Stroud, on Wednesday, said he was trying to pass on wisdom that he got when he was a rookie.

"I was not trying to little bro him or anything. He knows that, too. I have a ton of respect for him," Stroud told reporters on Wednesday. "I had so many guys coming to me after games last year and that meant the world to me that those guys even thought about giving me advice."

Stroud doesn't have to do this. He did anyway. Williams is better off for any and all advice he gets.

Williams knows this. He's sought out players like Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes and more for advice before. If Williams looked at all sour at Stroud, remember Williams just lost 19-13 and his last pass was a miscommunication incompletion on fourth and 17.

"I have a ton of respect for that guy, man," Stroud said.