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Caleb Williams Spells Out Bears' Offensive Definition of Perfect Game

Running game and passing game need to come together in order to keep Bears attack a step ahead of Vikings defense.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams rolls to throw against Carolina in Sunday's 59-37 Bears win.
Caleb Williams rolls to throw against Carolina in Sunday's 59-37 Bears win. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Chicago Bears

At the risk of sounding greedy and with the understanding the Bears face the No. 1 run defense in EPA per rush this week, quarterback Caleb Williams revealed a weekly goal for his team's attack.

It's a lofty concept.

“Scoring every drive is our mindset," Williams said Wednesday. "That’s the potential of us. That’s an internal expectation, that’s an internal feeling just of what we have up front, out wide and in the backfield.

"It’s an expectation from ourselves to be able to go out there and score every time and figure out ways to help the defense. That’s our part to help this team, help special teams, is scoring points, as many as we can, on as many drives that we have. That’s our challenge."

It's unrealistic, sure, but lofty goals lead to high-level achievement.

As a result, the Bears offense left Charlotte somewhat disappointed and felt the same way after they watched game film, before focusing on Sunday's home game with the Vikings. Penalties and a few missed opportunities left this feeling, as did a fumble on the offense's opening drive by receiver Luther Burden.

What happened to 58.1%?

A year after critics poked fun at Williams' 58.1% completions, he completed 72.4% in the opener. His passer rating of 124.1 is fifth in the NFL. He's fourth in passing EPA and third in overall EPA (expected points added).

It all flows from a running attack that not only is No. 1 in EPA but earned D'Andre Swift NFC offensive player of the week and also Nickelodeon player of the week. Swift is fourth in the league in rushing with 124 yards and Kyle Monangai seventh with 100, and everyone at Halas Hall was paying tribute Wednesday to the downfield blocking they received from wide receivers.

"That's who we are," Williams said. "That's who we pride ourselves on being, is we play for each other as a team out there. Everybody do their 1/11th, and then the second effort is where we become explosive.

"And that's that scramble, that's blocking after catch, that's blocking after run. That's how we got that Kyle Monangai 61-yard (run), and so it's our, what we call, little guys out there blocking for each other. And so that's, like I said, that's our identity, that's who we want to be."

Swift appreciated the blocks from Jahdae Walker, Kalif Raymond and Luther Burden III as much as from the linemen and tight ends in his runs.

"Just relentless effort from the guys up front and the receivers," Swift said. "Ben, as he always said, the little guys blocking and doing big things. That's what we need for us backs to make things happen in the second and third level because that's an opportunity to make the explosive plays happen."

That all came against the Panthers defense.

Can it all happen against a defense so formidable in the opener and essentially for the past three years under coordinator Brian Flores? It might look different.

Minnesota's blitzes kept the Packers frustrated on the ground with 66 yards. But the Packers threw for 353 yards and had a 22-10 lead in the third quarter. Then they opted to take a field goal off the board on a penalty while up five, and everything fell apart.

New challenge, different approach

It's possible it could look different and the Bears could effortlessly shift into passing gear because Williams is at ease in the attack. He showed it by checking down with precision Sunday when he could find his primary receiver open.

“Second year, second year in the offense,” Williams said.

He is making a conscious effort to improve something a problem in 2024 and even to some extent in 2025.

"One, I want to save the offensive linemen," Williams said. "I’m not holding the ball too long. I know there’s going to be plays where, you know, sometimes I’m going to do that and I go make a play, but just trying to minimize those.

"And then, you now, when those moments come, they come up and we go make a play (downfield).”

It's part of the natural progression of a quarterback in his third year and second in the same offense, and of the offensive itself after one year.

When the Bears face the formidable Vikings defense Sunday, they'll find out if they're as good as the national overreaction says they are, or whether their quarterback and the attack still have huge steps to take before attaining elite status.

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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.

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