Caleb Williams delivered the smoothest moment of Week 1

Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.

The Monday following the first full Sunday of an NFL season is known for wild overreactions.

In that vein, the Chicago Bears are at the top of many lists this morning.

The Bears exploded for 59 points in a victory over the Carolina Panthers on the road, with those 59 points. the fourth-most in a single game in franchise history. Quarterback Caleb Williams was a huge part of that effort, completing 21-of-29 passes for 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

And along the way, he gave NFL fans perhaps the single smoothest moment of the weekend.

The play in question came midway through the third quarter, with the game tied at 31. Chicago faced a 1st-and-10 just outside the red zone, on the Carolina 24-yard line.

Standing in the shotgun, Williams took the snap and delivered a strike to wide receiver Luther Burden in the middle of the field, working against tight coverage, for a minimal gain.

At first blush, that description might not seem like the “smoothest” play of the week. But watch what Williams does just seconds before delivering this throw:

That’s right. Right in the middle of the play Williams takes his throwing hand off the football, wipes it on his right thigh, and then gets it back on the ball to make the throw.

For those who prefer the All-22 angle of your football clips, here you go:

It was a hot and humid afternoon in Charlotte, with temperatures in the uppers 80s with 50% humidity at kickoff. So you can understand why Williams might want to dry off his hand before making a throw … even if it happens in the middle of a play.

As we saw on Sunday, this Bears offense is very explosive.