3 emergency changes Bears must make to keep Caleb Williams from becoming Bryce Young

Like many other teams around the NFL, the Chicago Bears are 1-1. It's certainly not the end of the world for a team hoping to make the playoffs, especially as expected contenders like the Ravens, Bengals and Rams sit winless, but anyone who's watched all 120 minutes of Bears football through two weeks can attest, there are reasons for concern.

The Bears have dealt with injuries, most notably to Keenan Allen, but as stars around the league have already been put on IR and ruled out for weeks (Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, Isiah Pacheco and Tua Tagovailoa to name a few), the Bears have been comparatively lucky on that front.

It's a broader problem that the Bears face and it can be summed up in one word: offense. Points have been all but impossible to come by for the Bears offense, and there's no easy fix. Top overall pick Caleb Williams has taken a beating behind a sieve of an offensive line, and on the few occasions that he has had time to throw, he's struggled with accuracy. The running game has been similarly impotent, with new free agent signee D'Andre Swift failing to find any traction.

Thank Ditka or George Halas or whatever patron Bears saint you pray to for the defense and special teams, which carried the offense on their collective back to a Week 1 win over the Titans, and did everything possible to give the team a chance to steal the game against a strong Texans team last week.

As great as the D has been, Bears fans have seen this story before, and they're ready to turn the pages of their history books and finally join the modern age. Ample resources were invested in the offense this offseason, from drafting Caleb and Rome Odunze in the first round, to trading for Allen and signing Swift.

The Bears need look no further than to the victims of Ryan Poles' greatest moment as Bears GM, the Carolina Panthers, to see what can happen when a quarterback taken with the number one pick isn't put in a position to succeed.

Bryce Young has been benched just two games into his second season, and while it's probably too early to completely write him off (see Mayfield, Baker), the chances of him ever finding success in Carolina are dwindling by the day.

Virginia McCaskey may not be a hands-on owner, but when compared to the deep-pocketed but belligerent dumpster fire that is David Tepper, I think I speak for all Bears fans when I say that I'm happy to have the Mama Bear in our lives. The roster in Chicago is also far superior to what Carolina has surrounded Young with, which means there's no excuse for Caleb to go down the same path.

What changes can offensive coordinator Shane Waldron make to jump-start the offense, and more importantly long-term, set Caleb up to become the elite quarterback that he was drafted to be? Below we've come up with a blueprint that can get Caleb going, put points on the board, and alter the trajectory of a franchise that hasn't lived up to its status as one of the premier organizations in the NFL in quite some time.

Bears emergency change No. 1: Establish the running game by any means necessary

Dogs might be man's best friend, but as much fun as the Bears social media team could have with a photoshoot involving Caleb and a litter of puppies, that's not going to help the team win football games. What Caleb really needs is a running game.

The Panthers didn't give Bryce much help last year, as they ranked 20th in the league in total rushing. Through two games this year, they've been even worse, with just 148 yards on the ground. Somehow that's seven yards fewer than the Bears' abysmal rushing attack, though the Panthers do have a higher average yards per carry.

D'Andre Swift is a talented runner, but he has only 48 yards on 24 carries through two games. The Bears have mostly run him between the tackles, but with an offensive line that hasn't seemed capable of blocking anybody and an injury to fullback Khari Blasingame, that's a recipe for disaster.

Swiift operates best in space. Dial up some tosses, some sweeps, some off-tackles to take advantage of his speed. But don't stop there. Khalil Herbert has been a forgotten man, with only four carries through two games, but he led all running backs in yards per carry just two years ago. He's more than capable of being an effective NFL runner, and Shane Waldron should treat him as such. He needs a larger share of the backfield work.

In addition to Swift and Herbert, the Bears have other ways to get the running game going. As Hard Knocks viewers found out, Velus Jones Jr. made the team after acclimating well to a position switch from wide receiver to running back. Jones has had ball security issues, but his ability in the open field is undeniable. Give him an end-around or two per game. A jet sweep may not be a rush, but that's just a technicality. Get Velus in motion and get him the ball.

Bears emergency change No. 2: Max protect

Now that we've established the running game, it's time to give Caleb some time to throw. The threat of the run should open up play-action, but on plays where Caleb doesn't fake to Swift or Herbert, the Bears need to do a much better job of keeping him upright.

Bryce Young was sacked 62 times last year, and through two games, Caleb is on pace for 85, which would be a single-season record. You can't save the franchise if you can't save yourself, so what can we do? I'm sure the guys on the offensive line are all very nice, but they don't seem all that interested in blocking anyone.

That means they need some help, and thanks to the Bears having three dynamic receivers on the roster (we're counting our chickens on Rome becoming a stud, too bad), they can afford to leave an extra man or two in to help block. DJ Moore and Keenan Allen are two of the best route-runners in the league. When healthy, they're going to get open against any defense, so leave Cole Kmet in to chip dangerous defensive ends like Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. Marcedes Lewis isn't on this roster for his pass-catching ability, not at the age of 40. Put him in to help Darnell Wright or Braxton Jones on a double-team or to pick up a blitz off the edge.

The Bears haven't been able to get anything going in the passing game because Caleb is getting buried every time he fades back. That's how you develop bad habits, and that's how you go from being the promised one to a bust. Keep some extra guys in to block and let your superb receiving corps go to work.

Bears emergency change No. 3: Play to the strengths of your receivers

Speaking of the receivers, it's time to cater to their strengths. Opposing cornerbacks are not going to stay in front of DJ Moore coming off the line. Send him on some slants and z-outs to take advantage of his ability to beat man coverage. He caught one of each against the Texans, and he looked great doing so. These are also simple throws for Caleb to make.

Keenan Allen is a savvy veteran. As soon as he recovers from his heel injury, get him to the intermediate part of the field. He's at his best coming back to the football, and when Caleb is able to buy time, Keenan will find the open space. Curls, hitches, digs — they're all in his wheelhouse. He's also great at shielding defenders with his body and using his hands to catch the ball. Let him exploit that.

Like Caleb, Rome Odunze hasn't yet earned his wings, but college football fans saw his insane talent on display last year. Rome can get behind the defense and make spectacular contested catches, but he can also run the basic stuff, too. This isn't a guy that needs training wheels. He and Caleb showed instant chemistry in camp. Let Rome loose and let them show it off.

Tyler Scott hasn't seen the field much yet this season, but Bears fans are still holding out hope that he can establish himself as a deep threat. If he can catch a bomb against the Colts, it could keep opposing defenses honest for weeks, which will open things up for DJ, Keenan, and Rome to do their thing.

Bryce Young's best target at Carolina has been an over-the-hill Adam Thielen. Ryan Poles has given Caleb a veritable arsenal to work with, and though the line has been a massive disappointment, there are ways to ensure that all that talent doesn't go to waste. Take my ideas, Shane Waldron. It's OK, I don't even need credit. I just want to see Caleb have a big game and lead the Bears to victory in Indianapolis this Sunday. Let's bear down and put up some points.