Caleb Williams is a tough guy to take down. The New York Giants generated 16 total pressures yet never sacked the Bears quarterback.

Williams spun and slipped through the grasp several times, buying time for throws down the field or finding lanes to take off running.

He had eight carries for 63 yards, including the decisive touchdown scored from 17 yards out in a 24-20 victory at Soldier Field.

[READ: Bears mailbag: Did Kyle Monangai get enough carries with D’Andre Swift back?]

“He looks like a Houdini back there in the backfield,” head coach Ben Johnson said after the game. “…There were times where he’s trying to escape and making some things happen. He had a couple throws down the field, but like you said, over 50 yards again rushing for the second week in a row, and I thought in the fourth quarter there we really needed that as a shot in the arm to end up winning that ballgame.”

Williams used his legs to great effect, earning some first downs and chunk yards with great elusiveness and video-game throws where he doesn’t set his feet, as he did on an third-down conversion to Colston Loveland in a gotta-have-it moment.

He was so effective with it that the Bears digital team cleverly spoofed Williams making people miss.

That ability comes from a number of sources.

“I’d say some of it is instincts. I think some of it is lifting and training,” Williams said. “I think the other part of it is visualizing those moments, that the defenders leverage and things like that, and being able to take advantage of his leverage. Then other than that, it’s just being smart in those moments. If it’s time to throw the ball away or dirt it, anything like that, dirt it. If it’s not, and I can make a play, go make a play for this team and do whatever I can do from there. I think it’s those couple things that I do throughout the week, throughout the year, visualizing those moments.”

All that brings up broad questions: How much do the Bears want Williams to run? What’s the balance between playing within structure and going off schedule?

We’ve pondered these most of the season and as far back as when Johnson got hired last winter. Johnson is a creative offensive mind who has built an effective system that, when run like a Swiss watch, produces significant yards and points.

Williams’ style of play can be more like jazz, which doesn’t always fit what Johnson draws on the whiteboard. The head coach acknowledged that, but he also appreciates Williams’ ability to create and improvise over simply being patient within the pocket.

“It’s a work in progress,” Johnson said in a Monday press conference. “I think the more comfortable he gets within the offense and the more trust he has in his pass catchers that they’re going to be where they’re supposed to be, he’ll continue to play within the rhythm and the timing of the concepts. As we’re continuing to grow and develop that trust, there’ll be times he takes off and he runs with it. What he did yesterday in terms of evading that rush, that’s a rare quality for most quarterbacks. I don’t know many others in this league that could’ve done it to the extent that he did yesterday.”

[READ: Bears overreactions: Ben Johnson’s team is a legit NFL playoff contender]

Johnson is not rigid. He adjusts to his roster talent as well as anyone in the NFL, and wants to capitalize on Williams’ unique talents. Quarterback elusiveness and speed isn’t universal, and Johnson will use that edge to the Bears’ advantage.

“There are times that we do need to use our legs,” Johnson said. “I think it makes us a more dangerous offense overall. You can talk to Dennis Allen about it. I think nothing strikes fear in his heart a little bit than a quarterback that’s able to take off. You can have everything else accounted for, you could feel pretty good about your pass rush, and yet, if there’s an open lane — which there tends to be when you have a 4-man or even a 5-man rush — the quarterback can still make it hurt with his feet.

“It’s something that we certainly want to utilize. It’s not something that we want to necessarily feature each and every week, but when the opportunity presents itself, we have the ability to capitalize on it.”

“I’d say some of it is instincts. I think some of it is lifting and training. I think the other part of it is visualizing those moments, that the defenders leverage and things like that, and being able to take advantage of his leverage. Then other than that, it’s just being smart in those moments. If it’s time to throw the ball away or dirt it, anything like that, dirt it, if it’s not, and I can make a play, go make a play for this team and do whatever I can do from there. I think it’s those couple things that I do throughout the week, throughout the year, visualizing those moments.”