This isn’t the year anybody wanted for the Chicago Bears. Least of all, Caleb Williams. The #1 overall pick made it clear his sole agenda was winning games. To go from 4-2 to 4-11 after Sunday against the Detroit Lions must’ve felt deflating. Yet you wouldn’t know it from how the rookie played. It was a meaningless game against the best team in the NFC; he racked up 334 yards passing and two touchdowns for a 107.5 passer rating. This came despite three starting offensive linemen being out with injuries and his original head coach and offensive coordinator getting fired weeks ago.
People refuse to acknowledge that what Williams is accomplishing is not just impressive but special. This game gave him 3,271 passing yards for the season, which is sixth-best in franchise history. That 334 yards also marked the fourth time he’s done it this year, tying the franchise record. Oh, and he still hasn’t thrown an interception since October 13th, extending the NFL rookie record to 326 attempts. He is only 77 away from overtaking Aaron Rodgers’ overall record of 402.
That isn’t supposed to happen. Veteran quarterbacks have had better situations in Chicago and not played this well. Sure, Williams hasn’t been perfect. He’s airmailed some easier throws and leaves himself open to some unnecessary sacks, but the big picture is clear. This young man deserved to be the #1 pick in the draft. He continues to have impressive moments every week, even as the team around him can’t get out of its own way. Too many penalties. Bad blocking. Dropped passes. One giant mess.
The Bears have some important decisions ahead of them. First is deciding what to do with GM Ryan Poles. This situation is largely his making. He hired the coaches and put together this flawed roster. Does he deserve another chance? Then, it’s about finding the next head coach. All signs point to it being somebody who can partner with Caleb Williams and help him ascend. Last but not least, they have to fortify the trenches, especially on offense. If these objectives are accomplished, next season could be a positive one.
