Give Marcedes Lewis an Assist for Bears Offensive Turnaround
The Bears lost two games after beating the Titans in Week 1, and tight end Marcedes Lewis was concerned. Chicago’s offense was out of sorts, and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron appeared, at times, a little too apprehensive. Lewis, and a group that included Caleb Williams, Cole Kmet, and D.J. Moore met with Waldron to discuss the offense. Lewis was specific in his message to his coach, which was, for lack of better phrasing, “start coaching us.”
“I think mainly just continue to be vocal about the things that [Waldron] sees and don’t feel like you can’t call guys out, from the oldest guy in the room to the youngest guy,” Lewis said. “Don’t feel like you can’t coach us. I want to be coached. I want to be great. This is not for play. This is our job.
“It’s a highly stressful and a production-based business and we all have got to be doing the same things, or else, everybody gets fired.”
Lewis, who now holds the NFL record for games played by a tight end, offers a unique perspective on the struggles a team can during the season. He had confidence things would turn around for the Bears’ offense, and his pep talk changed the trajectory of Chicago’s offense.
“On this team or [in] this offense, we’ve got dudes. Dudes who have done it at a high level,” Lewis continued. “Sometimes as a coach coming in, you might be walking on eggshells and I kind of put that to bed. Nobody’s sensitive in here. We want to win games just as bad as [he does] and it’s a collaborative effort in everything.”
Chicago’s offense was ranked No. 30 in the NFL at the time and Waldron looked ripe for termination thanks to a failed series of downs at the goal line in a loss to the Colts. The road to recovery started with the heart-to-heart Lewis gave Waldron. The Bears got their ground game untracked in a 24-18 win over the Rams. D’Andre Swift had 165 total yards in the win as the offense opened up ever so slightly.
The next step was unleashing D.J. Moore. Williams and Moore connected for 105 yards with two scores in a 36-10 win over the Panthers. Keenan Allen and Cole Kmet were the stars in Sunday’s 35-16 win over the Jaguars. The Bears are 4-2 and though it’s early, they’re in almost every conversation about the playoffs. The talk of dismissing Waldron has subsequently ceased.
SLAYYYYYYYY
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— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 13, 2024
.@ColeKmet stretches out for the TD!
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— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 13, 2024
Lewis has a small role on offense but a big voice on the sidelines and in the locker room. He’s only on the field when Waldron uses two- and three-tight-end sets. The 19-year veteran provides excellent perspective to the coaches and Williams during and after each game. Lewis understands that Williams is progressing and maturing at an astonishing rate. He’s not surprised, however.
“I see it in practice every day,” Lewis said. “He’s a guy who wants to be great, asks all the right questions, is constructive about his business, and comes with a growth mindset. That’s what you’re going to get. You already know he has the talent.
“The learning curve is tough, especially for a rookie quarterback. And he is doing an amazing job of it. I couldn’t be more proud of him. He’s a part of the leadership group and he’s growing every day [as a captain]. He’s also maturing at a fast rate. That’s what you saw today.”
The Bears are averaging nearly 32 points per game since meeting with Waldron. Williams is 60 of 81 for 687 yards with seven touchdown passes during Chicago’s three-game win streak. He’s also limited turnovers, throwing just one interception with no fumbles since Week 3. Williams is outplaying every other first-year player, including Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels.
The Bears’ offense is so good right now that nobody is talking about their elite defense.
“Throughout this whole process of these past couple of games, I think I’ve been seeing it well,” Williams said. “That starts throughout the whole week watching film, getting there in practice, talking to the coaches, players, and things like that.
“The comfort level of, just like I’ve talked about before, getting back to playing football and where I need to be, eyes need to be, if I need to hold a safety, if I need to just hang on a route. Just having that feel for the game. Obviously, you study, watch, and do all these other things. But once the ball snaps, you have to have that postsnap read, know what you have to do, and be confident about it.”
Lewis has that confidence in Williams. He also has that confidence in Waldron. Give the man an assist for the recent successes of his coach and teammate.
