The Chicago Bears stared down one of their toughest games of the season. Not only did they face a short turnaround on Thursday Night Football, but they had to face the defending AFC champion New England Patriots. Winners of 3 of their last 4. This was not a game the Bears could win by conventional means. Defense would not save them in this one. If they wanted to take down a contender, they needed their young quarterback to deliver. Unsurprisingly, Caleb Williams embraced the challenge.
On a night he went toe-to-toe with fellow 2024 draft classmate Drake Maye, the Bears’ young quarterback came out swinging. He hit a very good Patriots defense for 8 plays of 20 yards or more, including 2 touchdowns. He finished with over 300 yards for the second time in five days. Yet one of his passes stood far above the rest. Leading 27-21 late in the 4th quarter, the Bears faced 3rd and 9 from their own 10-yard line. A punt would give New England great field position for a chance to steal the game.
Williams took the snap, hung in the pocket, and fired a rocket just over the outstretched fingertips of former Bears safety Kevin Byard to Rome Odunze for the 1st down. That play helped the Bears drive to what became a game-clinching 58-yard field goal.
Caleb Williams left literally everybody in awe.
You have to understand the situation. New England had everything set up perfectly. They put the Bears in 3rd-and-long, meaning Williams was going to pass. They flooded the zone with seven defenders, concentrating near the line to gain. Byard was in great position to play that throw. Williams just made it irrelevant. His arm talent is at such an absurd level that he was able to throw it into a window that couldn’t be more than a few inches wide. Slightly to the left, and Byard gets his hand on it. Slightly to the right, Odunze has no chance to catch it.
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Fans and media alike kept rewatching the play over and over, wondering aloud how in the world Caleb Williams did that. It wasn’t just the best throw of the season for any of the Bears quarterbacks; it has a case for being the best of his career. At least in terms of pure difficulty. There are maybe two or three other quarterbacks in existence who could pull that off.
You know a pass is truly ridiculous when even the opposition was left wondering how he did it. Patriots’ Pro Bowl cornerback Christian Gonzalez had this to say about it after the game.
“Caleb is an amazing quarterback. You know, that play to Rome, I mean, the ball went maybe a millimeter above KB’s finger. If it was a little bit lower, KB would have tipped it. And, I mean, who knows what would have happened. So, I mean, that’s just one you tip your hat. And, you know, he made an amazing throw and a good catch. So, it’s the NFL. They’re going to make plays.”
This is uncharted territory for Bears fans.
They’ve seen so many quarterbacks walk through those doors at Halas Hall. None of them ever came close to drawing the same reactions and praise as Williams. Sure, plenty of them had raw talent. Jay Cutler had a similar arm. Justin Fields was a similar athlete. Yet neither of them could ever combine those traits into something so absurdly devastating. New England did everything right in that situation. No mistakes were made. It just didn’t matter. Williams threw the perfect pass.
There is no defense for that. It is a feeling that is hard to describe as a fan. You’ve gone from dreading every time the quarterback drops back to having a quiet confidence that he will somehow make a play. Williams proved it so many times last season. Sure enough, the Patriot aura had no effect on him. When it came time to make a play for his team, he delivered again.
