Predicting Caleb Williams' stats for preseason finale vs Chiefs

Can the second-year quarterback build on a strong preseason week 2 performance and keep his momentum going?

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The Chicago Bears play their final preseason game of 2025 tonight, this time on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs. While the outcome of the game isn't important in the grand scheme of things, how the Bears look is going to be pivotal in determining whether this team is ready to compete for a playoff spot.

Ultimately, the Bears' season hinges on one player: quarterback Caleb Williams. His development has been called the 'biggest challenge' for the Bears in 2025, given his underwhelming rookie campaign. A strong season from Williams will likely propel the Bears to make the biggest leap forward out of any team, and that needs to start on Friday night in his preseason finale.

Head coach Ben Johnson has not yet revealed how long his starters will play, but they will get their chance against the Chiefs' starters. This is critical because the Buffalo Bills played only a handful of starters last week. While the Bears got plenty of 1's vs 1's action in their joint practices in training camp, it's important to their development that they test themselves in a real game, even if it's just preseason.

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Without knowing for sure how long Johnson will play the starters, let's assume he gives them three drives or the first quarter, whichever is shorter. The Bears did not have a joint practice with Kansas City as they did with their last two opponents, so I'm assuming he will give them a bit more game time than before.

If that's the case, expect to see just one touchdown drive from Caleb Williams, and it may not even be a passing touchdown. The Chiefs are a dynasty for a reason, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnola is one of the most highly respected defensive minds in the NFL. Even his preseason gameplans can wreak havoc on an offense.

All in all, I expect to see not more than 120 passing yards from Williams in three drives with one touchdown and a field goal. I also believe he will once again go without a sack or a turnover. He appears to have already learned his lessons from last season and should be much improved at throwing the ball away before he takes a hit or tosses a bad pick into heavy coverage.

While it wouldn't exactly light up the stat sheet, Bears fans should consider that a good game from their starting quarterback and a positive sign for opening night on September 8th.

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