Former USC star Caleb Williams dazzles in NFL preseason debut

All eyes were on Buffalo, New York on Saturday afternoon but not because of the homestanding Buffalo Bills. Rather, the debut of 2024 No. 1 overall pick and former USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams was what had everyone talking. Fortunately, the new Chicago Bears franchise QB didn't disappoint.

Playing just two series, Williams led his team to six points. Along the way, he put up decent statistics, at least on the surface. Going 4-7 passing for 95 yards and a 101.8 passer rating, Williams showed poise and also a flair for the spectacular.

What's more, his stats were a bit depleted by the fact that he had two receivers drop a pass and he threw one pass away, out of the back of the end zone, on purpose. Thus, Williams' actual performance was even better than his final line.

"It felt good," Williams said after the game. "There's always a little bit more of a focus you have going into games for whatever reason, even if you try and enter that mindset and things like that throughout the weeks. It's just a sense of control, a sense of progress, a bunch of different things that when you get into games, the comfort level and all of that normally skyrockets."

As most USC fans have come to expect, Williams had some eye-popping moments in his two drives. That included a nearly miraculous flip to D'Andre Swift for 42 yards.

"I did see [Swift]," Williams said. "It wasn't a no-look. I wish I could claim it was, but it wasn't. … So I saw it open and I could feel the defenders breaking through the line, which they should on a screen. So [the] offensive line did a great job making it seem believable that they were gonna let up a sack. Then [I] tossed it over the [defender's] head and we got around 40 yards or so, so it was great."

Plays like that are why so many have compared Williams to the best player in the NFL, Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes II. Of course, the rookie has quite a long way to go before he's in that neighborhood but the physical gifts and the knack for the spectacular that he innately possesses do remind people of the Chief's star.

However, it wasn't just the fact that Williams pulled a rabbit out of his hat that stood out. Rather, it was the fact that, in his first ever NFL action, he managed to have complete control of the offense while playing within himself and making smart decisions.

He didn't come close to putting any pass in danger nor did he make any mental mistakes. That's why Chicago fans, who are as starved for a star QB as any fanbase in football, can't hide their excitement.

Williams and the Bears will return to action on Saturday at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. Williams is expected to play again and everyone will be waiting to see what he has up his sleeve next. Of course, that's likely going to be the case throughout the 2024 season, especially if the former Trojan continues to wow with his play.