Chicago Bears trample Jacksonville Jaguars in clash at Tottenham Stadium

North London was orange (and a little blue) as the Chicago Bears rekindled their relationship with British fans, treating a partisan crowd to a blowout win against a sluggish Jacksonville Jaguars side for good measure.

In the battle for first-round draft picks, the Bears’ new quarterback Caleb Williams had an edge over his opponent Trevor Lawrence (top pick in 2021). Williams threw four touchdown passes and rushed for 58 yards, the decisive contribution in the game. But his performance also passed the entertainment test; the 23-year-old’s adaptability and the utmost strength of his arm showed the audience of 60,000 why he was identified as a potential candidate for some talent.

For Lawrence, there were two touchdown passes and 234 yards gained. But with just 23/35 passes completed and many of those unambitious efforts coming from limited options, the Tennessee native with the shoulder-length hair looked very much like a franchise player, but from a franchise that is currently flailing and dangerously low on confidence. A loss drops the Jaguars to 1-5 and keeps them at the bottom of the AFC South.

The Jaguars remain committed to playing in London every year, although talk of a London franchise has disappeared. Meanwhile, the Bears played their first game in Great Britain in five years. Still, Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium felt a bit like Soldier Field that day, such was the support from Bears. Since the program included a long article about William ‘the Fridge’ Perry and his time with the London Monarchs, the band may have been partly sentimental. There was certainly a significant travel contingent as well. But regardless, the support was ubiquitous, flashy and loud. As far as Jaguars fandom goes, there was little or none. The peculiarities of international expansion.

The Jags had arrived late in London and their journey had been delayed by the devastation caused by Hurricane Milton. The Bears have now been locked up in Hertfordshire for a week. There is debate about the best way for an NFL team to handle the trip to London, but Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said the week in Britain had allowed the team to effectively have a midseason training camp. It showed on the pitch, with a number of complex plays on the day, as Williams continued to build relationships with his new teammates.

The key moments came before half-time, after Williams had erased his notebook with a sloppy interception. It felt like a play that could take the game in a different direction and Williams admitted it had infuriated him. But the Bears defense proved its worth, as it so often does, and immediately jumped back to regain possession, and the ball was immediately driven back downfield where the game-breaking third touchdown was scored. It was Williams who clinched the victory with a 25-yard rocket through the seam into the arms of Keenan Allen, the man he calls his “older brother.” It was the wide receiver’s first touchdown for the Bears and he celebrated by having a tea party with his teammates, with their pinkies sticking out as they ate.

“We feel like we took a step in the right direction today,” Eberflus said of Williams’ performance and commitment to his teammates. “You want progress to be linear, but that’s not always the case. But his ability to learn, to want to get better, is what sets him apart. He knows this year is an important year for him to learn the game. He’s always been good enough in terms of talent, but he’s learning our game and learning our skills. Our boys have a broad skill set, we need to utilize that and he is doing well.”