Cubs News: Kmet on Williams: "He has the talent to be one of the best" |
CHICAGO - Tight end
Cole Kmet is one of the only members of the Chicago Bears that knows what it feels like to play in a playoff game in a Bears jersey.
While there are still 12 games left this season, if the Chicago offense plays like it did against the Carolina Panthers in their 36-10 win, they may be able to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020. “We’ve been taking steps every week and I think the defense continued to play really well. Obviously, our team’s units continued to play well, and then offensively, we’ve just been growing, and I thought that was one of the better games I’ve been a part of since being here, honestly. Ran the ball when we needed to really well. (Rookie quarterback) Caleb (Williams) was really effective in the pass game with the wind and I don’t think that should be looked over. It was a really tough day in the wind and he was able to really get the ball through the air effectively doing that stuff and that’s not an easy task, especially here. So, I thought that was really good and just overall a really good football game for us.” With so many talented players on Chicago’s roster, it can be challenging to get the ball to everyone. However, Williams did a good job of spreading the ball around in this victory, with six different players recording a reception, including two different tight ends. Kmet had three receptions for 57 yards, marking the fourth game in a row with at least three receptions. Tight end Gerald Everett also had some action with two receptions for 22 yards. During his career, Kmet has played with a lot of different quarterbacks. He was around for Mitch Trubisky’s last season with the Bears, the short-lived Justin Fields era and some games with Tyson Bagent. In summary, he is used to playing with younger quarterbacks. However, none of them have impressed Kmet like Williams. “He’s just a really good, quick learner. It’s not easy, especially at this level, and I just think it shows his willingness to get better each and every week. Obviously, he has the talent to be one of the best in the league,” Kmet said. “But, he’s done a good job of being patient with himself in a certain regard but also having that fire on him where he feels the heat a little bit, where he knows he needs to get better at certain things and there were things today that, collectively, that we all can be better at. But, his command of the offense has just grown each and every week and even a lot faster than even I anticipated to this point.” Next week marks a first in Kmet’s career. On Sun. Oct. 13 (8:30 a.m. / NFL Network), Kmet will play in his first international game as the Chicago Bears take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. This will be their first international game since 2019 when the Bears took on the Oakland Raiders in the last season they would be in Oakland before becoming the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. The Bears lost that game 24-21. Overall, the Bears have a 1-1 record in London as they won their first game in London 24-18 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in 2011. However, that game was in Wembley Stadium; the Raiders game in 2019 and Jaguars game next Sunday will be in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
