Bear Digest

Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson see different needs for top Bears fixes

It almost seems a split is developing between Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams in terms of opinion on what needs to be fixed in the passing game.
Gene Chamberlain|
Being more accurate on the move leaving the pocket is Caleb Williams' objective but Ben Johnson sees a need for a different fix.
Being more accurate on the move leaving the pocket is Caleb Williams' objective but Ben Johnson sees a need for a different fix. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Bears coach Ben Johnson turned up the root problem to Bear offensive issues and it's not something reflecting well on quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Bears quarterback had his worst passer rating of the season against the Saints last week at 61.7, his worst since a 53.0 in the 6-3 loss to Seattle in the next-to-last game of 2024. His worst passer rating for a game is 51.0 against Houston in his second start. He needs to bounce back Sunday against Baltimore.

"I think the most important thing is that we're playing efficient football," Johnson said. "Throughout the season so far, we've been behind the sticks quite a bit.

"Whether that's penalties, whether that's negative runs, whether that's sacks–simply like (reporters) alluding to–we're not taking what's given to us. We're trying to force something that that might not be as easy to get."

Taking what the defense gives is a classic problem and relatively easy fix. It isn't an issue on the receivers, the running backs or linemen. That's on the quarterback.

Instead, Caleb Williams seems fixated on getting out of the pocket and making big throws.

After Sunday's loss, Williams had been critical of his own passes on the move when he decided to scramble. Johnson, meanwhile, on Monday had pointed to the need to go through the progression as absolutely necessary.

On Wednesday, Williams was trying to smooth over the rough edges of his performance but remained fixated on this issue of his inaccuracy while throwing on the move

“I think if you go back and watch, I think there were a few passes that we just didn't connect on that would've made it feel a lot better and look a lot better," he said. "And then, on top of that, not throwing a pick would've made it feel a lot better.

"You have those games, you have those moments, and after it's being able to figure out what the issue was or what that feeling was. And then, if you ever start to have a moment like that or a game like that, you know that moment, you know the feeling and you snap out of it or you figure out whatever you have to do to get out of it and you go help your team win a game.”

Williams doesn't like throwing intercptions but said something else irks him even more.

“It bothers me more when I miss a pass rather than throwing a pick, weirdly enough," he said. "Because, it's something wide open or I didn't give the receiver a good enough ball or anything like that. That bothers me more than throwing a pick.  

"Those moments happen where you throw a pick and we have the defense, special teams, to be able to help in those moments. From there, when we get back on the field, it's time to roll.”

It's not usually a coach's preference to have an interception over an incompletion.

Williams thinks the entire situation is close to being rectified, and the passing game will make a big statement just like the running game has in the last two games.

“Extremely close," he said. "You go back and you don't throw the pick, you complete two or three of those on the run and then efficiency wise, up there with 70%.

"It comes down to super small things, and it comes down to three completions. With being able to be more efficient and keep the team on the field and making plays."

The more Williams talked about it, the more he seemed to be taking it down a different path than what his coach said the issue really is.

"It's a collective thing, but it starts with me and we've been getting better with on-the-run efficiency and passing wise," Williams said. "In the pocket we've been pretty solid. If we can start hitting on those on-the-runs, it opens up the offense."


Again with creating things by leaving the pocket on the run and throwing.

"Those second plays become big explosive plays after a defense called maybe the perfect defense, or maybe something happened with the upfront," Williams said. "If we start hitting on those and big plays start happening it looks a lot better than it did last week.”

This issue of leaving the pocket to throw too much continues to fester.

It can't be good when the coach says they need production from progression through receivers from within the pocket, and the quarterback is saying the problem is he hasn't been connecting when he leaves the pocket scrambling to throw.

If they can't agree on what's wrong, it seems unlikely they could come up with the way to repair it.

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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.