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.
Caleb Williams is thriving in the absolute worst circumstances.
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.
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@jmscooby: Rome wasn’t a luxury pick. Consensus was that there were 5 players with elite level talent in the ’24 draft. Caleb, Marvin, Nabers, Joe Alt, and Rome. When one of them fell to 9, it was a no brainer to take him. Fashanu (went 11 to the Jets) and Fuaga (14 to the Saints) are good players, but not the caliber of Alt, or Rome, or maybe even Daniels and Maye, who are also very good, but not the elite level prospects like the top 5. The GMs job is to make the team as good as he can… Read more »
@Dr Melhus — This might be too easy for you — but maybe you’d like to name a Chicago Bears player, that displays “above averge” “NFL talent, proficiency, heart and value” … all, in a single package. You know, like the guys Lions GM, Brad Holmes drafts and acquires: Aman Ra St. Brown Jahmyr Gibbs Sam LaPorta Aidan Hutchinson David Montgomery Kevin Zeitler Brian Branch etc., etc. @Tred has a bead on one such Bear in ascendance — but @Tred also identified OL Dominick Puni ahead of all of us — and sadly, also ahead of Ryan Poles. You see,… Read more »
@Arnie: Good posts. Firing everyone is just throwing out the bathwater, the baby, and the nurse or mother who washed the baby. The Bears absolutely do have considerable talent on the team. I stand by my statement of several weeks ago that Poles’s biggest blunder (if it was on him) was letting Flus continue to coach the team. Whether that was entirely his call, or not all his call, or, the most likely eventuality, somewhere in between, is something only 3 or so people (Warren, Poles, and Georgie M.) really know. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the… Read more »
@jmscooby I’ve looked at that draft too, and all we can do is guess to an extent, but in hindsight, there’s only three main offensive lineman draft that have become full time starters AND are putting up consistently good grades, at least as good or better than the Bears main starting five. Joe Alt, Zack Frazier and the guy playing right guard for San Francisco taken in the third round. Alt was gone before #9. Zack Frazier would have been a huge overreach at 9, so while you could say trade down, that presumes their was actually an opportunity to… Read more »
Williams is doing well. Better than anyone has a right to expect given the circumstances Poles has saddled him with.
The good news here is that Williams has room to improve. Think about that.
Give him a HC who isn’t mentally deficient, and a GM who isn’t an encyclopedia of incompetence, and an OL with guys who aren’t arthritic, or pre-injured, or hopelessly inept – how good can he be?