Through three games, the first overall pick in the draft has not performed as well as the second pick in the draft. However, opponents of Bears quarterback Caleb Williams aren’t ready to draw the conclusions some on the outside have already drawn regarding Williams and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, the first overall pick 15 years ago, praised Williams earlier this week. On Friday, Rams coach Sean McVay had a lot of positive things to say about the Bears’ rookie starter.

“I’ve been watching this guy for a long time, whether it was when he first started playing at Oklahoma or USC and he was a stud,” McVay told reporters. “All the accolades that have been earned based on his body of work and his resume. . . . He checks all the boxes.

‘You can see that he knows what he is looking at. He can handle, he can play inside the pocket, play with the timing and rhythm, deliver the ball with precision and anticipation, and then when things don’t go according to plan he is a nightmare to defend because his eyes are on the field keeps focused. He can expand the play in the passing game, but then he also has the athleticism, strength and instincts as a runner to be able to put the ball down and do things like that. He would be the number one overall pick for a long time. I think that’s deserved and he’s a great competitor. That’s one of the things you look at. I think he’s a great competitor and we have our hands full. He has some very good players around him and is of course also familiar with the good coaches he is surrounded with.”

Whether the players around him – especially the offensive linemen – are good enough is another story. Williams has had a harder time than Daniels because Williams hasn’t had time to operate. And the Bears haven’t really had a running game either.

The Rams remain leery. And with good reason. This will be their first visit to Soldier Field since a Sunday night in 2018 when the Bears throttled LA 15-6.

“I wake up sweating every night just thinking about it,” McVay said Wednesday. “That was a very humiliating evening. This competition is a very humiliating competition. That was one of the most humbling nights and they did a great job of coming after us. (It) felt like we were playing against fifteen men on defense that night.

Both teams start the match 1-2. The Rams pulled off a remarkable come-from-behind victory against the 49ers in Week 3, a result made even more impressive by the many injuries the Rams are dealing with. Sunday’s winner will level it at 2-2 and increase their chances of hanging around long enough to get into play-off contention.

The loser isn’t done yet, but 1-3 feels a lot different than 2-2 — especially when the overall talent isn’t yet on par with the conference’s best teams.