Bear Digest

Caleb Williams leads game balls in Bears' dominant Week 15 win over Browns

The turf at Soldier Field may have been icy, but Caleb Williams was on fire.
Pete Martuneac|
Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

With the Chicago Bears coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Green Bay Packers, some NFL fans and analysts cautioned the Bears to be wary of a 'trap game' against the 3-10 Cleveland Browns. The kind of game where the clearly superior team doesn't take their opponent seriously, and it costs them a win. Either the Bears listened well to the warnings, or they're not being given enough credit. Chicago cruised to a dominant 31-3 victory over the Browns in arctic conditions at Soldier Field in a game that was never really close.

In fact, the only suspenseful moment was when Caleb Williams limped to the locker room at halftime with an apparent injury. Luckily, it was just a painful flare-up, and Williams came back in the second half to put the finishing touches on this game.

I normally only hand out three game balls after a Bears' win, but this week there's four players who earned their time in the limelight. Let's start with the man of the hour.

1. Caleb Williams

On a frigid afternoon in Chicago, facing a fearsome defensive front led by Myles Garrett, Williams played one of his better games of the season. Despite some brutal drops, he still completed 17 of 18 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns, both to DJ Moore. Williams was much more accurate than he'd been in previous weeks and even connected with his playmakers on some deep passes, an area where he's struggled.

Williams' next challenge will be replicating this performance against a playoff team, and his next opportunity will be this Saturday as the Packers come to Chicago looking for a season sweep.

2. DJ Moore

With Rome Odunze being a last-second injury scratch, the Bears needed DJ Moore to step up in the passing game, and the eight-year veteran delivered in spades. He hauled in four of five targets for 69 yards and two touchdowns, including this mind-blowing grab in the third quarter. Moore's been talked about as a potential trade candidate this offseason due to Chicago's embarrassment of riches on offense, but performances like this will make those conversations look ridiculous.

3. D'Andre Swift

I mentioned in my Week 15 keys to victory that Chicago's run game was going to have to dominate, but I expected Kyle Monangai to be the guy who would bear the brunt of that load. Instead, Swift had an electric game, racking up 98 yards on 18 carries and scoring a pair of touchdowns, including one of the angriest runs we've seen all year.

4. D'Marco Jackson

I don't normally do four game balls, but I've been waiting for the chance to give Jackson his due, and today is that day. Starting in place of the injured Tremaine Edmunds, Jackson put on a masterclass by registering a sack, two deflected passes, and a key interception in the second half that set up Chicago's third touchdown of the day. Take a bow, Jackson. You earned this game ball.

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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