What astounding Bears metric says for Caleb Williams' blockers

"It starts with those guys up front," Williams said. "Those guys up front have been awesome since I've been here this year. So, I think being able to get in rhythm with those guys, not having many guys down in a sense, being able to get multiple reps.

"I think I've said it multiple times from last year to now, it's being able to figure out where their weaknesses are, because every player has some weaknesses or anything like that. So being able to figure out where their weaknesses are and play off of that in the pocket and being able to feel that and know where I need to set up or roll out or get out the pocket at certain times. So, it's being able to have those guys’ back when things don't go right."

There will be pushback on that type of rating.

"But, these guys are beasts up front," Williams said. "So, it's been fun being with them and working with them and having these past four games with them.”

The run game is a different story. Or at least their coach thinks this is the case.

“It's hard to evaluate any of our running backs right now when you turn on the tape and there's some free runners (tacklers) in the hole where the play's designed to go," Johnson said. "Like I said last week, I take it personally because I actually spend more time on the run game than I do on the passing game—not only trying to create explosives in the running game but being sound and taking a lot of pride in our execution of the fundamentals.

"You talk about a deuce block, deuce combination, all looking the same, a triple between the tight end and the tackle all looking the same. We're not quite there yet. It's been a race since training camp started."

Apparently, ESPN doesn't agree they're losing the race on the offensive line—not by a long shot.

The No. 1 ranked team for run block win rate?

It's none other than the Chicago Bears, according to ESPN.

Is rating legit?

Their Bears' 76% win rate is just ahead of the Jacksonville Jaguars. It is the same Bears ranked last in rushing yards per attempt and next to last in total rushing yards.

Something doesn't seem to fit. Johnson defends his runners and says they don't need to trade for someone, doesn't see the blocking timed up right. Yet independent study of their blocking says they're doing a good job blocking both the run and pass.

The best way to take this might be when running back D'Andre Swift said last week they feel like the run game is about to pop, maybe there's a good reason to think he's right.

Otherwise, there are a lot of guys taking a paycheck and putting out garbage for ESPN analytics and at Pro Football Network.