Colston Loveland finally delivered the kind of afternoon the Bears had been waiting for. Six catches for 65 yards and his first touchdown of the season. With Caleb Williams back at quarterback, Chicago’s tight end became a consistent part of the passing attack in Sunday’s 31-23 victory over Atlanta.
But the film also showed an opportunity that could have made his day considerably bigger.
Offensive coordinator Press Taylor explained Monday that Williams and Loveland missed a potential touchdown because their timing broke down on a play where Atlanta had left an opening.
For an offense that looked dramatically more comfortable with its starting quarterback back, it was a reminder of how much production remains available.
Loveland’s biggest missed opportunity came near the goal line
Taylor described a play that put an Atlanta cornerback between two routes: one heading toward the corner of the end zone and Loveland working into the flat. Williams initially moved his eyes elsewhere. By the time he returned to Loveland, the tight end had continued running and was running out of room.
“I think if he knew he was as open as he was, he would have throttled it down a little bit and it would have been an easy pitch and catch,” Taylor said.
Loveland had no way to see exactly what was happening behind him. Without an immediate throw, he interpreted the delay as a sign that he was covered and kept moving. The result was an opportunity that slipped away through a combination of recognition and timing.
That matters because Sunday’s production already represented a significant improvement. Loveland entered Atlanta with 13 receptions for 110 yards through five games. He added nearly 60 percent of that receiving yardage in one afternoon.
Another scoring connection would have made the contrast even sharper.
Chicago didn’t overhaul its plan to get him involved
The natural question after a performance like that is whether the Bears deliberately changed Loveland’s role. Taylor’s explanation was straightforward.
“I don’t think there was any big change,” he said. “It was just the ball was able to find him. We were in a rhythm in the pass game. He did a great job getting open. He made some tough catches.”
Chicago wasn’t manufacturing targets at the expense of the rest of the offense. Williams completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and distributed the ball to eight receivers. Loveland benefited from that efficiency while doing his part to sustain it.
His touchdown on the opening possession illustrated both sides of the connection. Williams escaped pressure to his right and delivered a pass between defenders. Loveland secured it and absorbed a hard hit from safety Jesse Bates III without losing the ball.
The quarterback created an opportunity. The tight end finished it.
The next step is making that connection repeatable
One productive game won’t settle every question about Loveland’s involvement. It does give Chicago something concrete to build on before Thursday’s matchup with New England.
Taylor credited the receivers and Williams for restoring their timing after the quarterback’s three-game absence. Against Atlanta, that work helped Chicago score touchdowns on its first two possessions and establish control early. Loveland was central to that start. The missed opportunity later showed where the connection can become sharper.
“We weren’t forcing it to him or anything like that,” Taylor added.
That is an encouraging explanation for the Bears. Loveland produced within the flow of an offense that spread the ball around, and the coaches still identified another chance to get him into the end zone.
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