'Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears' Episode 2 recap

Following a record-breaking season premiere, the second episode of "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears" premiered -- that is, after a lengthy delay on HBO's streaming service, Max, which left fans seething.

The Bears are preparing for the upcoming season with a number of noteworthy players and storylines, such as the development of No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams. The cameras will catch it all over the course of training camp and the preseason, with five episodes in total airing on HBO and Max, narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Tuesday marked the second episode of this season, which focused on preparation for their preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, highlighted some standout rookies and gave us some unexpected stars along the way. Here is our recap of Episode 2:

Synopsis

The second episode picked up right where it left off with Jonathan Owens returning home from Paris after watching his wife, Simone Biles, win three gold medals. From there, it was all about the preparation for Chicago's second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, where the starters would see the field for the first time this summer. That included a sick montage of Bears practice highlights set to the tune of music from a local Chicago blues band. We caught a glimpse of Williams prepping for his NFL debut, including getting a lesson on the NFL officiating crews and the importance of getting -- and staying -- on their good side.

While there was still plenty of focus on Williams, there were new faces stepping into the stoplight, including Chicago's star-studded receiver trio: DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and rookie Rome Odunze. We caught glimpses of Moore and Allen with their families and Odunze stepping into a mentor role with a pair of ninth graders. Rookie running back -- and potential future medical student -- Ian Wheeler also took center stage as he battles for a roster spot. Among the other highlights in the episode was iron sharpening iron with Allen and cornerback Jaylon Johnson going to battle on the practice field, highlighting both the competitive spirit and the talent on this roster. And, in case you were wondering, we did get a Theo Benedet update. Outside of People Magazine requesting an interview, Benedet has been receiving plenty of online interest from some fans.

The episode culminated in the Bears' preseason game against the Bills, which featured some rookie standout performances from Williams, defensive end Austin Booker and Wheeler. And Moore's daughter, Arielle, who was the most adorable little trash talker.

4 stars of the episode

Rome Odunze: While most of the focus is on Williams, Odunze finally got his turn in the spotlight in the second episode. It showed several sides of Odunze -- the hard worker on the field, the fun-loving teammate off the field and the mentor who gave some valuable advice to young players. It was Odunze's turn during the Rookie Showcase, where he had his teammates doing with his rendition of "Kiss Kiss" by Chris Brown. But the true highlight came when Odunze took time after practice to talk to a pair of ninth grade football players and preached the importance of preparation, quoting the late, great Kobe Bryant. "Kobe said he never took a shot in a game that he didn't take a thousand times in practice. It's the same way in football. You should never catch a ball in a game that you ain't caught a thousand times in practice."

Ian Wheeler: The undrafted rookie running back was one of the standouts from last Saturday's preseason win against the Bills, which included two fourth quarter touchdowns, so he was a natural focal point in this latest episode. Turns out, after graduating from Howard, Wheeler deferred going to medical school for a chance to live out his dream and play football in the NFL. How can you not root for this kid to make the roster? Let's just hope, like in "Hard Knocks" past, we don't get attached only for heartbreak to follow.

Chad Morton: We can't talk about Wheeler without talking about running backs coach Chad Morton, who has a "different" relationship with Wheeler (who Morton affectionately referred to as Eeyore). One where they get along, but one where he also yells a lot. But Morton has the undrafted rookie's best interest at heart, as he's trying to help him earn a roster spot. We saw that in how much he pushes him during practice, challenging him to be better, while also celebrating his accomplishments, which includes running after Wheeler as he sprinted to the end zone for a touchdown.

Arielle Moore: Once "Hard Knocks" decided to feature DJ Moore's daughter, Bears fans knew she would be an instant star (just look at Bears social media in the past). She's so charismatic and just a joy to watch. Whether it was her eating hot dog-flavored ice cream or trash talking Buffalo fans ("Bills suck!"), she stole our hearts. Hey, NFL Films, we need a spinoff. Or, at the very least, a web series.

Best moment

There were some standout moments in this episode, including receiver Keenan Allen and cornerback Jaylon Johnson battling it out on the practice field and Rome Odunze's advice to a pair of ninth grade football players. But nothing beat the duo of rookies Caleb Williams and Odunze, who look like they're going to be special for the Bears, and the second episode showed why. Not only are the two rookies developing a rapport off the field, but they're focused on that on-field chemistry, as evidenced in last Saturday's win against the Bills.

On third-and-9 from the Buffalo 18, Williams looked to be targeting Odunze in the right corner of the end zone. But Williams wound up, wisely, throwing the ball away out of the back of the end zone and fought to live another day. Chicago settled for a Cairo Santos field goal to take a 6-0 lead.

What we didn't see after the play was Williams pulling Odunze aside to get on the same page. Williams explained where he wanted Odunze to go on that play, and the two had a conversation about the missed connection, which should help the pair connect the next time the play is called. It was similar to earlier in the episode when Williams was talking through a slant with Odunze during practice, and we saw the payoff. It's those small, underrated moments that will pay dividends in the future for this Bears offense. But it's also exactly what fans want to see out of a show like this.

Memorable quote

"I like football!" - DJ Moore

How can you not love Moore, after powering through defenders and then getting slammed to the ground during a preseason game, loudly proclaiming how much he enjoys playing football? If that doesn't get you hyped, I don't know what will.

Social media reactions

Here is how social media reacted to the second episode of "Hard Knocks."

"Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears" airs every Tuesday at 8 p.m. CT through Sept. 3 on HBO and is available to stream on Max.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 'Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears' Episode 2 recap