'He had no fear at all' – More into how Caleb Williams became Superman with his big play ability against the Vikings in Week 12
The Chicago Bears' loss to the Minnesota Vikings was a tough pill to swallow, especially after the team overcame a double digit deficit to force the game into overtime.But, one thing was crystal clear from Sunday's game. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is ready to hang with the big dogs and has the talent to go […]
The Chicago Bears' loss to the Minnesota Vikings was a tough pill to swallow, especially after the team overcame a double digit deficit to force the game into overtime.
But, one thing was crystal clear from Sunday's game. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is ready to hang with the big dogs and has the talent to go toe-to-toe with some of the top defenses in football.
Leading up to the matchup against Brian Flores and the Vikings' defense, Bears' new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown noted the team couldn't play scared, and Williams certainly took at message to heart.
"It was very obvious he had no fear at all, which is the way we want to have him play," Brown said on Tuesday. "I think about being aggressive and taking calculated risk. So aggressive is not being reckless, not putting the ball in jeopardy and doing a really good job taking care of football. Obviously, making some tight window throws, which is why you get drafted No. 1 overall, to make those big plays. When it comes to end of the game, end of the half, he's delivered in a big way, which I think sometimes goes unnoticed because of the result."
Williams' performance against the Vikings shouldn't being going unnoticed just because of the final result. Williams was dealing all game long and flipped the switch when it matter most, up until the opening drive of overtime.
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams connected on 5 big time throws, which was tied for the most among all quarterbacks on Sunday. PFF describes a big time throw as "a high-difficulty, high-value pass characterized by excellent ball placement and timing, typically on deeper passes or into tight windows."
Williams' best "big time" throw of the game came in the opening quarter. On the play, the Vikings had a free rusher off the edge coming on a blitz but Williams was able to take off outside the pocket to avoid the sack. After being rushed out of the pocket, Williams uncorked a 30-yard ball down the sideline that landed right in the hands of running back D'Andre Swift. A play that had social media going crazy.
Williams' most critical throw and moment from Sunday came on the final offensive drive of the fourth quarter. One play after recovering the onside kick with under 30 seconds remaining, Williams climbed the pocket and delivered a 27-yard dart over two defenders to WR DJ Moore that set up the game-tying field goal to force overtime.
Over the last two games, Williams has reminded everyone why he was selected with the first overall pick based on the poise and confidence he showed in critical situations. In each of the last two games, Williams led his unit down the field to potentially tie or take the lead on the final drive.
Brown has been allowing Williams to truly become Superman when it matters most and soon it's going to pay off for Chicago. In the meantime, the promising rookie is just going to continue to grow and get better.
"That's a rookie quarterback who, in my opinion, hasn't even scratched the surface of how good he can be," Brown explained. "And it's my job, my focus, to continue to try to find ways to make him the best he can be."
Caleb Williams receives high praise from yet another NFL head coach after facing the Bears’ rookie quarterback
Other coaches are starting to take notice.
