Bears coach Matt Eberflus doubled down Monday on his decision to keep starting quarterback Caleb Williams in the game against the Cardinals despite trailing by 20 points with two minutes left and both starting offensive tackles out with injuries. Williams suffered a left ankle injury when a Cardinals practice-squad call-up rolled on his foot on his second-to-last play.
Williams said Sunday he “tweaked” it, but believed he was fine. Eberflus had no update on his injury.
“The starters were left in the game because we’re going to fight to the end,” Eberflus said Monday morning. “It’s important that we have that mentality going forward.”
When asked if general manager Ryan Poles took issue with that decision, Eberflus declined to share anything from their post-game conversation.
Bears starting left tackle Braxton Jones was inactive because of a knee injury, and right tackle Darnell Wright left with a knee injury. The team had Larry Borom at left tackle and practice-squad call-up Jake Curhan at right tackle. Both were making their season debut.
On third-and-seven with 1:09 left, Williams scrambled and got tackled by linebacker Victor Dimukeje, and Cardinals defensive lineman Ben Stille landed and rolled on his ankle.
“I landed wrong and tweaked it,” Williams said. “The dude grabbed my ankle and gator-rolled and I tried to get off of it. When you stay on it, bad stuff happens.”
Williams steered clear of weighing in on the decision to keep him in the game — the Cardinals already had pulled Kyler Murray, for what it’s worth — by saying, “It’s not my decision. You fight to the end of the game if you’re in the game. Coach makes the decision. Not my decision.”
Williams completed 22 of 41 passes for 216 passes and a 68.8 passer rating, plus he ran four times for six yards as the Bears lost 29-9. The Cardinals had 12 quarterback hits, including six sacks.