Caleb Williams is 1-7 against the NFC North in his career, including 0-2 this season. That should give you an idea of how important the upcoming game against the Minnesota Vikings is. If the Chicago Bears want to make serious headway in the race for a playoff spot, they must start beating some divisional opponents. That won't be easy. Minnesota has had their number the past few years, especially since hiring defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Williams knows this. His visit to Minneapolis last year didn't go well, as he completed barely 58% of his passes for 191 yards and a touchdown, while also losing a fumble.
The Bears will need more than that from their young quarterback if they want to win this game. ESPN believes they will get it. Their experts believe there is a strong chance Williams has a big day against the Vikings' defense. The reason stems from how vulnerable they've been to throws down the field.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams goes off
The Bears nearly missed on several potential big plays last week against the Giants in snowy Chicago. Now, Chicago takes its offense -- which leads the league in explosive plays -- to the dome in Minnesota, where the Vikings are allowing the league's highest completion percentage on throws 20-plus yards downfield. Williams has been teetering on the precipice of a true breakout performance for weeks now, and a divisional win against a defensive coordinator like Brian Flores would be the ideal spot.
Chicago leads the NFL in big plays this season. Williams is 8th in the league with 32 passes of 20 yards or more and is tied for fourth with five completions of 40 yards or more. Essentially, experts believe that if Minnesota cannot consistently pressure him, Williams will make them pay for it.
Pressuring Caleb Williams won't be easy.
Part of that is due to how much he has improved at getting the ball out on time. Another is that Minnesota lost its best pass rusher. Jonathan Greenard is out for the game with a groin injury. He had seven pressures against Chicago in the previous meeting in September. There is nobody on the roster who can replace him. That almost certainly means Flores will blitz more to cover the loss. Unfortunately, that may not help. Williams has been great against the blitz this season, throwing eight touchdowns and no interceptions.
The key for the Bears is getting off to a strong start. This has been their biggest issue this season, as they often struggle to find their groove until late in the game. That isn't something you can get away with on the road. Caleb Williams needs this game. The schedule doesn't get any easier in the next two months. This is one they can win. It starts with the quarterback.
