Williams Leads Dramatic 25-24 Comeback Win! Is His Newfound Fortitude Here To Stay?

Johnson put Chicago through its most intense preseason workouts, harkening back to the time of Iron Mike Ditka. Johnson called out the players’ mistakes, removing the likes of Luther Burden III from the practice field for continuous repeats. Not only did Johnson emphasize the meticulous work that his team would do executing his plays, but he also wanted to see how they would respond to criticism and adversity.

2024 Bears Wilted Under Fire

The 2024 Bears season is easily defined by one play: the Washington Commanders’ Hail Mary. At the time, Chicago was 4-2 and looked ready to pick up its fifth victory. Following, it completely fell apart, losing 10 straight games. One horrific event derailed an entire season.

Why did this happen? The Bears had no leadership; their head coach, Matt Eberflus, did not command respect. By not connecting to his players, he failed to instill discipline and execution. The team ended up as soft as tissue paper; when something went against it, it could not withstand it.

Williams suffered through the lack of coaching and leadership. His offensive coordinator, Shane Waltron, had no idea how to develop him, and his predictable game plans were a dead end. Williams ran for his life behind an atrocious offensive line and became skittish in the pocket, anticipating the next hit. The lack of foundation undermined Williams’s rookie season.

Bears Distress

Johnson’s hire fueled much of the offseason hype; expectations rose based on his magnificent work in turning the Detroit Lions’ offense into one of the game’s best. The brutal NFC North provided a firm awakening.

The Bears lost numerous agonizing games last season due to horrific clock management, game strategy, and lack of focus and execution. Eberflus could be blamed for all of it.

Chicago looked to have a firm grasp on its opening Monday night game against the Minnesota Vikings. The offense started strong with a crisp 10-play, 61-yard touchdown drive, but then bogged down. The defense chipped in with an interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter and maintained an 11-point lead into the fourth. Everything from there looked all too familiar to Bears fans.

The defense couldn’t get stops, and the offense failed to do anything until falling behind by ten. Williams led a quick 51-second TD drive to pull Chicago within seven, but then a coaching decision to kick the ball out of the endzone instead of out of bounds cost precious time when Cairo Santos failed to get the touchback. Precious time ticked off, and the Bears once again had a befuddling collapse to steal a loss from the jaws of victory.

The first game frustrations became compounded with a 52-21 thrashing by the Detroit Lions in Johnson’s return to his old coaching grounds. Nothing went right, and Detroit did whatever it wanted throughout the afternoon. No one would have been faulted for thinking more of the same; was Johnson the right choice to turn years of losing around?

Bears Resolve

Chicago teams in seasons past, especially under Eberflus, quit whenever anything went wrong. A start like this year undoubtedly would mean six to seven more losses to come and a hole too big to dig out of. Instead, the Bears responded with one of their best performances in ages.

Williams, while having some frantic moments, showed command and used all his weapons against the Dallas Cowboys. He tied his career high with four touchdown passes, each to a different receiver. He thrived behind much-improved pass protection and showed the ability to avoid sacks, which was nonexistent in his rookie campaign.

Johnson made it clear after the Lions debacle that the effort and practice habits of many were in question. He hinted strongly at several replacements being in the works. He pushed his quarterback hard throughout the week. The results showed that, instead of wilting, the team prospered. Williams said about Johnson’s hire that he welcomed hard coaching, and he backed it up against Dallas. A team that couldn’t handle the slightest setbacks last season responded with its best performance ever to what this year has offered.

Williams Is Clutch

The next test of Williams and his team’s newfound resilience beckoned in a road trip to face the Las Vegas Raiders. On Sunday, Ashton Jeanty ran wild, accounting for three touchdowns. The Bears struggled with penalties, committing eight for 60 yards, and poor redzone execution, scoring a TD only once in four opportunities. The running attack struggled to an anemic 2.7 yards per carry.

Williams faced a deficit throughout the afternoon; he couldn’t capitalize on many of the turnover opportunities his defense presented him. It looked like Chicago would lose on numerous occasions, especially when Williams followed a Bears takeaway with an interception.

Great leadership shows a way when danger is high and hope seems lost. Williams fought through his struggles and did an excellent job avoiding sacks despite constant pressure. He kept Chicago close enough to provide a chance to grab the lead late with a magnificent clutch drive, moving the Bears 69 yards in a little over five minutes. He completed four out of five passes and used his scrambling ability to pick up 23 yards. DeAndre Swift got the score, but Williams did the legwork.

Chicago needed special teams magic from Josh Blackwell to ensure the victory. He blocked Las Vegas’s game-winning field goal attempt, but no doubt was lifted just a little higher by the belief that Johnson has instilled. Creating a sound culture takes meticulous habits and practice, and the results are starting to bear fruit.   

End Of My Caleb Williams Rant

What happened yesterday could not have happened last year. The Bears lacked the intangibles, chemistry, belief in their coach, and willingness encouraged by their quarterback. All this was on display against the Raiders.

Chicago is unlikely to make the playoffs and probably will finish in the NFC North basement. The division is the NFL’s toughest, and the Bears aren’t ready yet to win it. Results shouldn’t be this season’s primary focus. Crafting a foundation that elevates Williams to be the quarterback he has the potential to be is the mission. He has ample physical talents but needs the confidence that best comes from overcoming adversity.

Williams finally has a coach who will show how to deal with challenges and use them as fuel. The coach crafts the quarterback, who then uplifts the team. Chicago saw the full effect yesterday, winning a game they had lost endlessly in years past. By embracing the work, Williams is providing hope that he can be the one to break the Bears’ QB curse.