Bear Digest

Caleb Williams details how his clutch performances are possible

The Bears have now seen wins in the last two minutes seven times this season and Caleb Williams details why he feels he has this unique ability.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams basks in the moment as he leaves the field following the 31-27 win over Green Bay.
Caleb Williams basks in the moment as he leaves the field following the 31-27 win over Green Bay. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams has moved to a level of command within the Bears offense higher than he's ever been, and the last game provided the truest indication.

This usually is apparent if you can win a playoff game but Williams has advanced in a few different ways, including as a true leader of the offense. The end result is a quarterback now reflecting the self-confidence he has said he has all along, and one with enough mastery of Ben Johnson's offense to turn the unlikely into reality.

Anyone who saw Williams upset with receivers for not being where they should be during the first half in Saturday's win would never have expected this type of thing just a year ago.

At that point, it was Williams' own ability to know where anyone would be that was in question and critics came at him from all directions. Now, he knows teammates and their assignments and displays mental maturity needed to succeed as an NFL quarterback. Seven comebacks in the last two minutes during this season and postseason say so.

"I would say I've gained more confidence in the offense and knowing exactly what  and where and all these different things and then, just the belief and trust that I have in them to be able to do their job is paramount for us," Williams said.

Now he can speak with authority.

"So sometimes you have to hold everybody accountable and I get held accountable every day, and I want to be able to win these games and be in these big moments, and so we have to be accountable to each other and that's one of the most important things in these big games, these playoff games and things like that. It's the fundamentals, the details that win you games."

It was after the interception on fourth down that Williams threw to the Packers 13 early in the second quarter when cameras picked up a visibly upset Bears QB on the sidelines.

Real QB growth

Maybe a year ago Williams goes and pouts. He's been through a season of Ben Johnson's influence now, and is primed to win big games. He shrugged it off.

"There’s really not a lot you got to say to him on the sideline," Johnson said. "We just make sure we’re on the same page in terms of what the situation is, what we need to accomplish and how quickly we need to accomplish it.

"But beyond that, it’s not like he needs a pep talk or a rah-rah or anything like that. He’s ready to go. I’ve been saying it all along, he rises to the occasion time and time again. It's really impressive to see a young player like this be so clutch."

Clutch fourth-quarter or even overtime play has become Williams' method of operation this year. His passes are more on target, like the fourth-and-8 pass on the move for 27 to Rome Odunze that has been the rage of the NFL the past few days. His feet were off the ground throwing it.

"Yeah, I know he hit a number of those explosive plays there in the fourth quarter, which we needed," Johnson said. "We were struggling to move the ball and score points through those three quarters, and so that last quarter, like I said a couple days ago, we broke through that dam, and we were able to find a way to get some touchdowns there at the end.

"And if we don't have the defense getting us the ball back as quickly as they did, combined with Caleb making some of those throws, I don't know that we close the deficit like we did."

It's the fourth quarter and later when Williams' confidence has show up most as the season wore on.

"Yeah, it definitely frees me, the confidence and belief going into games from my preparation and the growth from my preparation," Williams said. "Being a year in it, it's having Ben, it's having these other coaches and things like that have helped. And so being able to have the belief and faith in myself from my preparation going into games definitely helps.

"Especially late in games, especially leaning back on what you study, leaning back on  your training and all those small things."

It's as much an acquired ability as a natural one, but he has proven to have both and applies them at key moments.

"I feel that I'm the best in those moments because of what I've prepared to be in those moments and things like that," he said. "So, you know, for myself, it's just next play, next play, next play.

"And then when you have to go make a play, it's, you know, it's life or death in those moments."

Williams laughs off the talk about how critics often said he might be a bust and wasn't going to be able to play at the level of other QBs drafted with him in Round 1.

"Yeah, that's never been a worry of mine, is proving the doubters wrong or anything like that," he said. "It's a little extra motivation in that sense. But it's not for me to prove them wrong.

"I know who I am. Not everything happens within 365 days, of one year, my first year. Even my second year, third year, whatever the case may be. So it's my mindset to be able to keep growing. It's my mindset to be able to keep that mindset of knowing who I am.  Keep that mindset of I feel that I'm the best when I'm on the field. Keep the mindset of I'm the best when I got the other 10 guys around me that are fighting for me. I'm the best when I got the best coach in the world."

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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.