The Chicago Bears took care of business on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, winning comfortably at a frigid Soldier Field. Caleb Williams led the way with a highly efficient afternoon, going for 242 yards passing, two touchdowns, and no turnovers. He was complemented by another great performance from the running game as D’Andre Swift scored twice. The Chicago Bears have won ten games in a season for the first time since 2018 and only the second time since 2013. It is a testament to the young quarterback and head coach, Ben Johnson, that they were able to turn this around so quickly.
Amidst the success, people didn’t notice that Williams had achieved an individual milestone. He threw his 1,000th pass in that game and officially claimed the NFL record for the fewest interceptions [12] by a quarterback in such a span. The previous starter to hold that honor was Dak Prescott with 18. Tyrod Taylor (16) and Jacoby Brissett (14) are technically ahead of him, but neither was a full-time starter. Williams has set a new standard for taking care of the football, which is remarkable to consider for any quarterback, let alone one who plays for the Bears.
The context with Caleb Williams is even crazier.
Justin Fields reached 12 interceptions in fewer than 300 passes. Rex Grossman reached it in fewer than 400. Jim McMahon didn’t even get to 330. While the Bears have had some successful QBs in years past, none of them had the best reputation for protecting the ball. Even Jay Cutler, a Pro Bowl veteran when he arrived in 2009, didn’t even reach 300 passes before throwing his 12th interception. That should help illustrate how good Caleb Williams has been. Despite all the talk about his accuracy issues, he has been remarkably good at not giving it away.
It is a big reason the Bears have been able to hang tough in so many tight games. Nothing turns the momentum faster than turnovers. Having a quarterback who protects the football and can make something happen out of structure is so valuable. Williams isn’t perfect. He still has plenty of work to do. Still, there is no longer any doubt that the Bears made the right choice. He is as close to a franchise quarterback as they’ve been in decades. Exciting times are ahead.
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