The Chicago Bears are happy to escape Week One with a comeback victory at home over the Tennessee Titans. In Caleb Williams’ debut, the offense looked shaky at best, but the defense and aspects of the special teams units helped propel the Chicago Bears to the 24-17 win. With two non-offensive touchdowns and a heralding second-half performance, it can fall between the cracks that Velus Jones Jr. muffed a kickoff to allow the Titans to score in the first quarter on Sunday.
This gaffe is the latest in a string of mistakes made by Velus Jones Jr. dating back to when he was drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. It was uncertain whether or not Jones Jr. would make the final 53-man roster this season and other skill position players had made waves in the preseason. There had been clamoring for other players to get a chance to prove themselves and those rumblings have only gotten louder after Sunday’s muff.
Chicago Bears Returner Muffs Kickoff in Opener
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The Chicago Bears got the Caleb Williams era underway with a victory in Week One against the Tennessee Titans. Despite the clamor for the rookie quarterback from USC, the offense was not the main story for the Chicago Bears. The offense struggled throughout and failed to ever get into a rhythm, not helped by some of Williams’ rookie mistakes. Chicago is counting on Williams to improve throughout the remaining 16 games, but there might not be as much hope for one of the Bears’ skill position players, Velus Jones Jr.
Jones Jr. had been a question mark for Chicago in the offseason after a tumultuous first two seasons with the Bears. He has committed costly penalties, missed crucial blocks, and coughed up the ball when he got the opportunity to showcase his breakneck speed. GM Ryan Poles was counting on the 27-year-old Tennessee product to leave those mistakes in the past but Sunday proved that hope to be futile.
With the Bears trailing 7-0 late in the first quarter, the Titans kicked the ball off to two Chicago returners. DeAndre Carter had a tremendous day both in the punt and kick return games, amassing more than 130 yards on six returns including a 67-yard kick return. Unfortunately for the Bears, the ball went to Velus Jones Jr., who let the ball fall through his arms at the goal line and drop to his feet. Making matters worse, Jones Jr. attempted to pick the ball up and kicked it out to the 20-yard line where it was recovered by the Titans.
Questions About Velus Jones Jr.
The Chicago Bears’ defense was able to limit the damage and keep the Titans to a field goal after the muffed kickoff. The Bears went on to overcome the deficit and even use special teams to their advantage by blocking a Tennessee punt, with Jonathan Owens returning the ball for a touchdown. The Bears got away with this mistake this week, but for a team with playoff aspirations, they might not be able to sustain another mistake from Velus Jones Jr.
Chicago has moved his role from back-up wide receiver to flex running back and special teams weapon. If more mishaps happen at the feet of Velus Jones Jr. that negatively impact the Bears, it could force the hand of GM Ryan Poles and make him seriously consider what to do about one of his first-ever draft picks. The Bears have not said anything about Jones Jr. since the muff, but for Bears fans, it could be something on the horizon to look out for, especially with all of the attention around Caleb Williams and the Chicago offense.
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