Caleb Williams opens Bears return with sharp first half against Falcons

Caleb Williams wasted no time looking comfortable in his return from a torn hamstring. The Chicago Bears quarterback completed all six passes on the opening drive at Atlanta for 64 yards and a touchdown, setting the tone for a 21-7 lead at halftime.

The first possession ended with a touchdown pass to Colston Loveland. Williams had missed the previous three games, but Chicago put the ball in his hands immediately rather than opening with a run-only approach. The early completion streak gave the Bears points on his first series back; it did not, by itself, settle how the rest of the game would go.

Chicago built on it. D'Andre Swift scored twice on third-and-goal runs, and the Bears capitalized on a special-teams takeaway to open the two-touchdown halftime margin, Loveland's work as a target on the opening drive carried through the half.

At the break, Williams was 19-of-22 for 197 yards and a touchdown. Loveland had five catches for 60 yards and the score, while Chicago held the ball for 22:13 of the first half to Atlanta's 7:47. That production came despite eight Bears penalties for 65 yards.

Saturday's news was that the Bears planned to start Williams after a full practice week without a setback. Sunday's first half offered something more concrete: a productive return under game conditions and a lead to protect. The result was still in progress at halftime; this is an account of the opening half, not a final-game verdict.