It’s one of seven Sunday’s 1 p.m. kick offs, but the “Battle for Interstate 65” pitting the Chicago Bears against the Indianapolis Colts should be one of the most highly anticipated games of NFL Week 3.
It's not because this is a matchup of two of the best teams gearing up for a shootout – the Colts and Bears are a combined 1-3 – but because the quarterback matchup could be a preview of the NFL for years to come.
The two youngest gunslingers in the league square off for the first time in their careers, as Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson look to prove that they are the futures of their respective franchises. Both 22 years old, the former college standouts have struggled in their brief NFL stints so far.
Richardson only played in four games last season, missing more than three-quarters of the season due to a sprained AC joint, and the former Heisman-winning Williams is just two games into his rookie campaign.
Of the 31 quarterbacks who have started every game of the young NFL season so far, Richardson and Williams rank in the bottom 14 for passing yards. Williams’ 267 passing yards trails only recently-benched Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young among two-week starters, but Richardson’s four interceptions are tied with Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix for the most in the NFL.
The Florida alum’s 49% completion rate is the lowest among two-week starters, and Williams’ 56% is the fifth-lowest. The 2024 season is young, but both highly-touted quarterbacks have received early criticism for their first two performances.
NFL analyst Greg Cosell even said Richardson has missed throws that a high school quarterback could complete on a recent episode of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast. As for Williams, he still hasn’t earned his first NFL touchdown while Richardson already has five total scores.
Much of Williams’ early season-struggles can be attributed to poor offensive line play in front of him, leading to the USC alum being sacked nine times in two games.
Not everything is doom and gloom for the two young guns, however. The modern NFL moves faster than ever, but Williams and Richardson have only combined for eight pro starts in their careers.
Williams has impossibly high standards to live up to, as all No. 1 picks do, and while Richardson was selected three spots lower than his Week 3 opponent the year prior, he was still expected to become the Colts’ franchise quarterback as a 21-year-old.
Richardson and Williams have each showcased their impeccable athleticism and arm strength in a limited sample size, but still have work to do when it comes to polishing their skills to be among the NFL’s upper echelon of quarterbacks. Sunday will be a great look at how the two compare to one another in terms of their development.
And whichever quarterback plays better could very well determine the outcome of the Super Bowl XLI rematch between Indianapolis and Chicago.
