Tyler Dunne of Go Long set off a bit of a firestorm a few months ago when he released a massive three-part piece about the Chicago Bears. In it, he covered the demise of Matt Eberflus, the supposed poor evaluation process when they drafted Caleb Williams, and the eventual hire of head coach Ben Johnson. Dunne surmised that Johnson was everything the Bears needed. He'd be the no-nonsense leader they haven't had in years. However, he didn't go so far as to say he'd also mold Williams into a star.
It was more suggested that Johnson would find out if the young quarterback truly had the stuff to become one. There was an undercurrent of belief that the head coach may not like what he found. In the present day, you might think the narrative has shifted. Williams has demonstrated excellent poise in late-game situations, leading five 4th quarter comebacks. He had 17 touchdowns and just five interceptions and is 9-3 as a starter. That should win over Johnson, right? Dunne isn't certain.
He dropped several hints in a new column that suggest the coach isn't sold.
Into this season, Johnson had goals for Caleb Williams. He wanted his starter to complete 70 percent of his passes. Considering the weaponry at his disposal and his refurbished offensive line, all signs pointed toward such a talent becoming the first player in the Bears’ 106-year history to throw for 4,000 yards, too. Instead, Williams is completing 58.1 percent of his passes. No quarterback with a minimum of 200 attempts has a lower mark...
...To elevate into legitimate Super Bowl contention, the Bears will obviously require at least average accuracy from their quarterback. If Williams hits half of the open receivers he’s missing, the Bears would’ve blown out opponents. Former pro Ryan Fitzpatrick called Williams’ feet “a mess” during the Friday broadcast...
...Make no mistake. Johnson’s fingerprints are all over these personnel decisions. The coach wouldn’t have taken this job without a strong say in who the Bears sign and draft.
That’s what should be most encouraging. He has only started to mold this roster...
...Chicago hit the jackpot. The future appears bright — regardless of who’s playing quarterback.
Caleb Williams' future is tied to Johnson's patience.
That is basically what is being implied here. Nobody questions the quarterback's rare athletic ability, arm talent, and 4th quarter magic. However, you need more than that to win a Super Bowl. Efficiency is one of the biggest. Caleb Williams hasn't been that for most of this season. Seven of his starts fell below a 90.0 quarterback rating this season. Eight saw him complete less than 60% of his passes. For a head coach who is widely known for his perfectionism, that isn't something to ignore.
Johnson hasn't offered any indication he's getting fed up with Williams. His patience remains intact. However, that didn't stop him from sending a clear message on Monday.
“Everybody has a role to play to get this pass game cleaned up. It’s not where it needs to be. We’re winning in spite of our passing game, not because of it. And none of us are pleased with that right now.”
Williams is in no danger of losing his job right now, nor should he be. That said, one has to wonder if that changes if he can't clean up the consistency issues.
