Bear Digest

Ben Johnson to Caleb Williams at end: 'This is what you're built for'

Caleb Williams comes through in a moment made for him, according to coach Ben Johnson, but it took an entire team effort to produce that moment.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams is flushed out of the pocket during the game-winning drive against the Raiders.
Caleb Williams is flushed out of the pocket during the game-winning drive against the Raiders. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

It's rare when something so ugly and tarnished carries so much possible value.

The Bears can only hope their 25-24 comeback win over the Las Vegas Raiders is something they'll look at in the future as a significant moment.

It proved they can win on the road.

It proved they can come from behind when they've got problems, like playing two inexperienced tackles after they benched Braxton Jones, inserted Ozzy Trapilo at right tackle and moved Theo Benedet from right tackle to left tackle.

It showed their defense can hang together despite giving up a ridiculous 7.7 yards per run.

Finally, it said their special teams can win them games just like offense and defense as Josh Blackwell came off the left edge of the defense to swat down Matt Carlson's 54-yar field goal try for the win.

"We're building something special here and I think they're feeling it," coach Ben Johnson told reporters afterward.

The first road win by Johnson's team and one they trailed 14-9 at halftime, 21-16 in the third quarter and 24-19 in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams authored his third fourth-quarter comeback and second game-winning drive.

"It's a confidence builder, for it's a culture builder for us," Williams said.

The stats, 22 of 37 for 212 yards, 73.3 passer rating with TD and interception, mean nothing when it comes to that point in the game. It's drive for the win itme and Williams delivered, producing a 13-yarder to DJ Moore, 17-yarder to Rome Odunze, a 7-yarder and 5-yarder to D'Andre Swift and a 12-yard scramble himself before the winning 2-yard Swift run. It was 11 plays, 69 yards, overcoming a false start on Cole Kmet and a loss of a yard by Swift on another run along the way

"I remember talking to Caleb before the took the field and I said, t'his is what you're built for,' " Johnson said he told Williams.

The message wasn't lost on Williams, who was thinking the same thing.

"I think the belief that I think those moments that we're born for that I'm born for, being able to portray the belief that 'Guys this isall we've, this is all we need.' We're in a position where we're not in a favored position, we're down, it's all 11 of us on the field and we've got to go do a job. So I think just the belief the trust, the hard work we put in, those are the moments you wish for, the moments you dream about."

Part of the uglier start included Ben Johnson failed trickery. They tried the "stumble bum" Ben Johnson used against the Bears defense last year. They also ran a fake version of last week's flea-flicker. At least the fake flea flicker resulted in a gain on a running play but the Stumble Bum stumbled to an incompletion.

Part of their early failures was because of Raiders edge Maxx Crosby.

"They've got a hell of a player over there," Williams said. "He's probably the best player that I've ever played against so far in my career."

To block him on the edges they had neophytes Ozzy Trapilo and Theo Benedet blocking at tackle.

"We've got some guys in there, it was their first time playing and suiting up, especially against a guy like that and they did a hell of a job," Williams said.

In the end, they made time for Williams to get off the plays.

"So I think just the belief the trust, the hard work we put in, those are the moments you wish for, the moments you dream about," Williams said.

Through all of that, they still arrived at moment when they needed a blocked field goal. Special teams coordinator Richard Hightower was in the headset telling Johnson Josh Blackwell would block it.

Of course, he did.

"This is a team," Williams said. "The defense stood strong for us, the special teams stood strong for us. And at the end of the day we all came together at the end and came out victorious."

Ultimately, they'll need to keep doing type of thing to show it's the start of something. But winning one in this fashion on the road is a part of the start just like winning at home was last year.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.