Bears take 38-0 win

A clear-eyed look at the Bears 38-0 preseason win over the Bills, focusing on Williams's debut in Ben Johnson's offense and the depth charts.

Bears rout Bills 38-0 in preseason

CHICAGO -- Caleb Williams directed a sharp early drive, connecting with Olamide Zaccheaus for a 36-yard touchdown on the opening possession as the Bears built a 28-0 halftime lead. Williams finished 6 of 10 for 102 yards, and the Bears later added a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter as Tyson Bagent led two scoring drives. An 86-yard march culminated in a 1-yard run by Brittain Brown, followed by Ian Wheeler’s 1-yard TD in a separate drive. Buffalo rested starter Josh Allen and other veterans, sending in backups who struggled to gain traction as Chicago outgained the Bills 343 yards to 22 and owned an 18-1 edge in first downs. Williams left after the second series, with Bagent taking over to complete 13 of 22 passes for 197 yards. Bills backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky saw action later, going 7 of 13 for 56 yards while Mike White contributed 54 yards on 4 completions of 11 attempts. For Buffalo, injuries cropped up with DB Jordan Hancock leaving with a shoulder injury, and for Chicago several players were sidelined by injuries as the game progressed. Bills head coach Sean McDermott kept starter Josh Allen out of both preseason games, a trend echoed by James Cook and others.

The result is a reminder that August football is more about evaluation than verdict. Williams showed quick decision-making and accuracy on his first substantial action, giving Chicago something to build on in the quarterback competition. Yet his camp performances have been uneven, and one strong night does not erase questions about consistency against real defensive speed. The Bears used the night to test depth across positions, especially at running back and receiver, while the defense gained confidence by limiting Buffalo’s early chances. Buffalo’s plan to preserve health and experiment with backups contrasts with Chicago’s push to establish a rhythm and identify reliable pieces for the late-summer roster cutdowns.

Highlights

August performances rarely predict the season, but they do shape the conversations around balance and opportunity.