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The Chicago Bears are 9-4, right in the thick of the NFC playoff race, but their biggest problem continues to hang in the air…
For all the flashes, for all the outrageous plays and evaded sacks, Caleb Williams still isn’t playing consistent football.
And on Monday, head coach Ben Johnson didn’t sugarcoat it.
After watching Williams open Sunday’s loss in Green Bay with under 100 yards of total offense in the first half, Johnson put it plainly: “We need to start faster. Obviously, 71 yards in the first half wasn’t good enough.”
It wasn’t the only moment when the young quarterback came under a microscope. Johnson continued: “There’s that mix of ‘oh my gosh, that’s one of the most incredible plays I’ve ever seen,’ but also times where guys are open and we need to give them the ball on time.”
That’s the blunt reality check, one Caleb Williams needs and one this playoff-contending team cannot avoid.
A Game Defined by Missed Opportunities
GettyBears QB Caleb Williams
Johnson confirmed what the tape already showed: the Chicago Bears’ early game passing script never landed.
The third and 15 misfire to DJ Moore. The overthrow on an 18 yard dagger route that was supposed to settle Williams into a rhythm. The struggles throughout a first half where Caleb Williams completed only one pass beyond 10 yards.
None of it aligned with the plan. Johnson admitted he entered the game expecting Moore to lead the team in targets. Moore finished with one catch for -4 yards.
“We just couldn’t give him the ball,” Johnson said, clearly frustrated that the team’s No. 1 receiver was once again a spectator in critical moments.
And while Johnson defended the decision-making on the late interception saying, “Had we seen it a little bit sooner… we would’ve been pretty happy with that result”, the execution wasn’t close. Williams under threw Cole Kmet. Keisean Nixon made a terrific play. And the comeback died on the spot.
Inconsistency Remains the Story
GettyBears QB Caleb Williams
Caleb Williams entered Week 14 with the lowest completion percentage in the NFL (58.1%). It dropped again Sunday, down to 54.3%. He now has:
Nine games under 60% completions (most in the league)
Six straight sub 60% performances
Persistent issues delivering the ball on time to open receivers
These are the defining gap between what Williams is now and the franchise quarterback the Bears need him to become. Johnson sees it too.
“We’re striving to combine both worlds… the incredible plays and the on-time, in-rhythm throws,” he said. “We’re not quite there yet.”
The Bears urgently need a solution. Cuz the slow starts keep stacking up, and the margin for error gets smaller each week.
There is no quarterback controversy (despite all the delusional Bears “fans” calling for Tyson Bagent), but there is urgency. The Bears have a playoff-caliber defense, a playmaking receiving corps, and an offense that has no much potential but falls short far too often.
The Chicago Bears are 9-4. They’re good enough to dream big. But they’ll only get where they want to go if Caleb Williams becomes consistent.
Garrett Klaus Garrett Klaus is a NFL contributor at Heavy.com, where he covers the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Carolina Panthers. More about Garrett Klaus
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