The Bears may have lost on Sunday, but in some ways, they might have actually won. Not in the traditional sense of winning the game, but perhaps in the bigger picture of building for the future. Let me explain what I mean.
Caleb Williams, the Bears' rookie quarterback, faced off against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, whose defense is widely regarded as one of the best in the NFL. Despite the tough matchup, Williams put up a strong performance, nearly leading the Bears to victory. He completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards and 2 touchdowns, adding 33 rushing yards on 6 attempts. His passer rating was 103.1, which is the third-highest rating allowed by the Vikings' defense all season. Keep in mind, this is a rookie quarterback we're talking about.
To put his performance in context, quarterbacks facing the Vikings defense this season have averaged a passer rating of just 79.4. Here's a quick look at how other QBs have fared:
Daniel Jones – 44.3
Brock Purdy – 101.3
C.J. Stroud – 68.6
Jordan Love – 83.0
Aaron Rodgers – 54.9
Jared Goff – 140.0
Matthew Stafford – 124.5
Joe Flacco – 63.7
Mac Jones – 38.3
Will Levis – 84.7
Caleb Williams – 103.1
Another impressive stat for Caleb Williams is his performance against the blitz over the last two weeks. According to PFF, here's how he's stacked up:
- 86.2% adjusted completion rate
- 276 passing yards
- 0 turnover-worthy plays
- 4 big-time throws
These numbers highlight his poise and efficiency under pressure which again, is rare for a rookie signal caller.
Caleb is an anomaly.
As you can see, Williams' performance stands out. NFL analyst Steven Ruiz from The Ringer mentioned that there are two tiers of franchise quarterbacks in today's NFL, and the dividing line is how much respect defensive coordinators like Brian Flores give you. Flores, the Vikings' defensive coordinator, is known for his challenging schemes, blitzes, etc, and Williams passed the test with flying colors according to Ruiz and many other NFL analysts. That's high praise, and it shows that Williams is already proving himself as a future star.
It was never going to be linear with Caleb Willliams.
While every rookie season comes with ups and downs, the OC coaching change for the Bears could be a turning point for Williams. OC Thomas Brown has been working wonders with him these past couple of weeks. Here’s Caleb Williams on the impact Thomas Brown has had since he became the offensive coordinator.
"He has a certain aura to him that allows you to play free."
Caleb also mentioned that Thomas Brown told him to "go be Superman" before the game—and it's safe to say he definitely did.
All of this makes you wonder how much of an impact Shane Waldron's coaching really had before the change. Either way, Williams is showing that he’s more than capable of handling the big tests of the NFL, and that bodes well for the Bears’ future moving forward.
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