Alarming stat may make you view Bears' Caleb Williams a bit differently

You might perceive Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams quite a bit differently after seeing this alarming stat.

Nov 28, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws a pass out of his own end zone against the Detroit Lions in the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

One of the main points of contention surrounding Caleb Williams' rookie campaign is that the Chicago Bears quarterback was sacked 68 times.

Of course, most will point to Chicago's offensive line as the source of agony for Williams in Year 1, but there have been some who have said, "Hey, this kid needs to actually get rid of the football."

Well, an alarming stat may have just proved Williams' critics right.

Williams was pressured on third downs just 39 percent of the time last season. Seventeen other quarterbacks found themselves under duress 40 percent of the time or more in those situations, meaning Williams technically did not have it that bad.

Quarterbacks on third down last season pic.twitter.com/TUqUdPeayR

— Football Insights 📊 (@fball_insights) July 12, 2025

What's more, Williams was sacked on 14 percent of his third downs in spite of a somewhat favorable pressure rate. Meanwhile, Houston Texans signal-caller C.J. Stroud posted the same sack percentage in spite of being pressured 52 percent of the time.

That right there indicates that the sacks are not solely the fault of the Bears' offensive line. Williams unquestionably needs to do a better job of getting the ball out quicker.

Chicago made a plethora of moves to get better in the trenches this offseason, and it has also provided Williams with a rather dazzling display of weapons. Ergo, there really is no reason why the 23-year-old should not be considerably better on third downs — and in general — during his sophomore campaign.

Williams threw for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2024, so he did a fine job of taking care of the football. But he definitely needs to bail his team out a bit more when it comes to simply getting rid of the pigskin when necessary.

Oct 27, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs with the ball as Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. (99) chases during the second quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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