Bears tight end Cole Kmet didn't beat around the bush Monday afternoon when discussing Sunday's 21-16 loss to the Colts.

"Offensively, we haven't played up to the standard that we wanted to yet," Kmet told reporters Monday. "I think it has gotten better each game, but I mean, again, we're being real. Right now, better is not good enough. We've got to be better. We've got to be much better if we want to win these games."

Kmet voiced his honesty when meeting with the media, but he also expressed the importance of "not getting too overwhelmed or frustrated." His sentiments come from knowing the Bears is talented enough to compete at a high level.

"It's not a game I think we should have lost," Kmet said. "But looking at it from sitting in this chair now after the game, it is what it is. And now we're a 1-2 football team. And we have our next game here coming up against the Rams. At this point, really, all you have to do is learn from the mistakes the weeks prior, acknowledge the steps that you have taken. But we understand there are a lot of things we need to get better at."

The Bears offense certainly did show improvement against the Colts, particularly in the passing game. Quarterback Caleb Williams notched a career-high 363 yards, completing 33 of his 52 passing attempts, including his first two NFL touchdowns.

While Kmet said Sunday's loss came down to not being able "to punch the ball in the end zone and get points," he saw improvement in the group's ability to sustain drives. He's also seen noticeable growth in Williams' play and confidence from Week 1 through Week 3. The pair connected on 10 passes for 97 yards and a score, with Kmet's double-digit receptions tying a career high that he set last Oct. 29 against the Chargers.

Kmet was impressed by a few of the throws Williams was able to hit him on late in the game.

"I look at that seam route he threw late in the fourth quarter that he drove the ball to me on — [the defense] preventing from those type of throws from happening," Kmet said. "That was really an unbelievable throw by him to fit that in between the hook defender. … Obviously the third downs — you look at the one in the fourth quarter, going toward the end zone, two of them, just a man-to-man deal and he trusts me to win at the top of the route.

"All those things are applicable, and you saw him get in a groove there, and that was really good to see from his end and you could feel his confidence growing as the game went on despite some of the negative plays that happened."

While Williams and the offense take a step forward in Indianapolis, the group is still looking to get the run game going, limit turnovers and find the end zone more frequently.

With a long season still ahead, Kmet is confident that the offense will continue to take leaps and find ways to help the Bears win, starting Sunday when they host the Rams at Soldier Field.

"There's a lot that can happen throughout an NFL season," Kmet said. "So there's no reason to be in full panic mode inside the building with a 1-2 start here. We're one game away from being .500 again. … So it's important we stick to what we're doing and stick to our process and continue to go to work every week and continue to grow.

"I think from that perspective, it's having a good outlook on it, a positive outlook on it when we come back here for practice Wednesday and attack the week. I think we'll like the results that we see. But we have to keep our eyes forward and keep our feet where they are."