Bear Digest

Where all the practice pass rush heat on Caleb Williams is leading

The blitzing of Caleb Williams in practice continues and even though he has handled it well in the past there is one very good reason to keep up the pressure.
Gene Chamberlain|
Caleb Williams already showed last year he could stand up to blitzes and with all he work he's had so far in camp he'll only improve.
Caleb Williams already showed last year he could stand up to blitzes and with all he work he's had so far in camp he'll only improve. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The blitzing continues in Bears practices, the latest evidence coming in Sunday's Soldier Field workout.

It looks like Caleb Williams and the offense see it every other play in 11-on-11. To Williams, a 7-on-7 probably never looked so good.

It's Dennis Allen and the defense getting their pressures down to a T, but there is another side to it even if the offense has looked disjointed as a result.

"I think it’ll help us, just so we’re in tune with all of our assignments and to have everybody on their Ps and Qs," tackle Darnell Wright said. "That’s the biggest thing, probably."

It's forcing Williams to think quickly, react and get the ball out without intentional grounding, while getting his line tested in their communication. Earlier in camp, Bears coach Ben Johnson said they were designing reps in practice with pressure on Williams so he had to react quickly under duress.

While there are issues with this at times, Williams has not been a bad quarterback facing the blitz in actual games.

"Probably, the main thing, he can make a play," Wright said. "He can make plays. We kind of already knew that as well. I’d say the biggest thing is how much he can make a play when he does what he does."

Pro Football Focus tracked Williams with a 78.9 PFF grade against the blitz, second best among all rookie quarterbacks since 2016. Jayden Daniels was No. 1.

"He was very good and consistently made defenses pay when blitzing him, tallying 11 big-time throws—tied for the fourth most in the NFL," PFF's Nick Akridge wrote.

Williams should have plenty of experience against this type of pressure. He faced the fourth-most pressure in the league last year according to NFL NextGen Stats, at a 35.3% pressure rate.

The point to all of this is how it all prepares Williams for the season opener.

Facing the Minnesota Vikings in the opener, Williams will be blitzed early and often. Vikings coordinator Brian Flores needs no invitation to go after the QB. It's one excellent reason why he needs every snap against blitz pressure now.

According to Stathead/Profootballreference.com, the Vikings blitzed 38.9% of the time last year, the most in the league.

Williams had a 96.69 passer rating, three TDs, no interceptions and 531 yards, with 64.1% completions against the Vikings last year.

Not only that, but Week 2 opponent is Ben Johnson's old team, the Lions. They were second in blitz percentage last year (34.6%) according to Stathead.

In the first two preseason games, the Bears won't be facing teams that blitz much and Williams will get little preparation at this. The Dolphins have the same scheme and coordinator and were 17th in blitz percentage while the Bills rarely blitz and ranked 27th in blitz percentage.

They need to keep those blitzes coming in practice. They'll also get a good look facing this in the preseason finale because the Chiefs ranked fourth in blitz usage.

Further improvement by Williams against the blitz and pressure and it won't be the Vikings' defense applying the heat in the openr. It could be Williams.

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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.