Of all the things to like about the Bears ’ 36-10 win against the Panthers — the rookie quarterback went 20-for-29 for 304 yards, two touchdowns and a 126.2 rating in the team’s biggest margin of victory since the penultimate game of 2021 season — nothing tops what he was able to do throwing beyond 20 yards.

After both teams punted, a 38-yard Chuba Hubbard touchdown put the Panthers ahead briefly 7-0, but Carolina's offense was stymied by a lights-out Bears unit from there. Chicago's lead ballooned to 30-7 near the end of the third quarter,

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams spent his first month in the NFL alternating between showing brief flashes that made him the Heisman Trophy winner and a No. 1 overall pick and a rookie dealing with the NFL’s unforgiving learning curve.

This wasn’t a coronation. A coronation involves a crown and, at least in football, an opponent not beset by injuries or suffering from quarterback deprivation. No, this was a celebration. A celebration of what the Bears can be. But more than anything, it was a celebration of what Caleb Williams’ talents look like when fully engaged.