Camp report: Bears offense, Caleb Williams overcome penalties to shine in first padded practice

LAKE FOREST, Ill. - For a while there, it looked like the Chicago Bears' defense was going to win the day. Again. For like the fourth day in a row.

The Bears' offensive line was flagged five times. The Bears' defense was playing the same high-level it's always been. The first-team offense faced a third-and-two situation in the two-minute drill.

Then, it all opened up.

Here's Friday's update from the first padded practice at Halas Hall.

The offense started rough

There weren't any turnovers from the first-team offense, but there were penalties.

There were four false starts, one holding and one offensive pass interference. The OPI was, in a word, obvious. Tyler Scott literally shoved a defensive back in the 7-on-7 period. 

In the second-team's turn, Tyson Bagent threw an interception right over the middle to reserve safety and veteran Adrian Colbert. It was a good play by Colbert to read the play quickly. But, it was a pass Bagent shouldn't have thrown.

Terell Smith had a good pass break up. Khalid Kareem looked stellar on a bull rush that took out the second-team right tackle. DeMarcus Walker got into it with tight end Gerald Everett after a play, too.

It, frankly, was on pace to be worse than Thursday.

The defense was winning, and winning often.

Then came the last part of the two-minute drill.

Two-minute success

Friday's two-minute drill put 1:20 on the clock and placed the offense at midfield to start.

Facing a third and two from just across midfield, the rookie connection shined bright.

Caleb Williams connected with Rome Odunze for a first down on a short out route to the right. Then Williams stepped up and hit Keenan Allen over the middle for another first down on a 15-yard gain. 

Caleb Williams pushed the ball forward. There was no hesitation, even after he missed Odunze wide open in the end zone after there was miscommunication between Tyrique Stevenson and Jaquan Brisker.

Williams followed that incompletion with a long ball to the end zone to Tyler Scott, who beat Brisker and caught the touchdown. Before the throw, Williams evaded the rush, scrambled to his right out of the pocket and threw a perfect pass on the run.

There's the offense at work. 

The play chart went like such:

1st and 10: Williams, pass to Roschon Johnson for eight yards.

2nd and 2: Williams scramble left, pass thrown away

3rd and 2: Williams' pass right to Odunze for five yards, out of bounds

1st and 10: Williams' pass middle to Keenan Allen for 15 yards

1st and 10: Williams' pass deep to Odunze, incomplete on an overthrow

2nd and 10: Williams' deep pass to Tyler Scott for 35 yards, touchdown.

That'll play.

Friday's standouts

Tyler Scott

For the second time this week, Scott stood out. This time, it was when it mattered most. Beating Brisker in the two-minute drill was good; hauling in an over-the-shoulder catch for a touchdown after consecutive days of two-minute drill issues for the offense was great. Scott needed to find a way to establish himself in a loaded receiver room that added an All-Pro in Keenan Allen and had a Pro Bowler in DJ Moore before drafting Rome Odunze.

Friday was a sign that Scott can be an important part of this offense. 

Keenan Allen

A guy that has 904 career receptions doesn't need much to get going. But, his catch over the middle in the two-minute drill was an example of what Allen said last week when it comes to his relationship with Williams: He wants to make it easy on the quarterback.

"Try to make it easy for him," Allen said last Saturday. "Make sure we're seeing things eye to eye, get to the spots that he likes – whatever spots that he can see versus what I'm seeing – and then just being on the same page."

A bunch of guys on defense

Kahlid Kareem, Terell Smith, Adrian Colbert, Jamree Kromah and Gervon Dexter Sr. all made positive plays Friday. Aside from Colbert's interception, Kromah had one of the most wow-inducing plays with a bull rush that led to a tackle for loss. 

That quantity of guys making plays in camp, regardless of their status on the depth chart.

Tory Taylor

Taylor's first punt of the day was a sky-high kick from midfield that angled slightly to the right, hit the ground and bounced out of bounds inside the five-yard line. He then proceeded to launch plenty of nukes down the field. Imagine that. The Bears have made punting fun to watch.

Bears' injury report

• Defensive end Jacob Martin injured what looked to be his right ankle Friday. He got taped up, but eventually went back to the locker rooms.
• Teven Jenkins was shaken up in the 11-on-11 period. But, he eventually returned to play.
• Kyler Gordon and Noah Sewell were present did not practice today.

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