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LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Caleb Williams knows exactly what areas he wants to get better with four games remaining in the 2025 regular season.
The Bears’ second-year quarterback mentioned maintaining focus throughout the entirety of a play, so that he doesn’t have miscues, like incompletions. He also referenced starting faster.
Something easier said than done.
“It’s something you can practice,” Williams said. “But it’s also something – I keep using these analogies and references – but sometimes just seeing the first basket go in and getting your first completion and seeing the pass being caught. Whatever pass it is, whether it’s a deep shot, an intermediate, short, whatever it is. Finding that first completion and getting it into your receiver’s hands or tight end and letting them go to work.”
Williams and the Bears’ offense did the complete opposite in the 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers last Sunday at Lambeau Field. The offense started with three straight punts (two three-and-outs) and only scored three points in the first half in the Week 14 matchup, which put them at a 14-3 deficit.
[READ: DJ Moore still lacks consistency in Bears’ offense after loss to Packers]
After the offense generated 31 passing yards in the first two quarters, head coach Ben Johnson’s offense finally established some rhythm. The Bears’ offense scored on their first three possessions in the second half (touchdown, field goal, touchdown) and tied the game at 21 going into the fourth quarter.
The Packers retook the lead on their next possession, and Williams was unable to complete the comeback after he was intercepted in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the Packers’ 14-yard line.
Johnson and Williams have discussed what it will take for the offense to start quicker, but Williams has told his head coach that anything he calls to start the game is on the table for the quarterback.
“His feedback is, ‘You call it, and I’m going to go ahead and make it work,’” Johnson said. “That’s who he is. He doesn’t care. You want to start the game with a deep ball, go ahead and call it and I’ll make it work. You want to start with quick game, you want to start with screen, whatever. He really doesn’t care. That’s really where you want your quarterback to be. I appreciate that mindset. I just want us to hit the ground running a little bit better than what we have been. We talked a week ago about the passing game needing to improve.
That first half, we didn’t quite make the strides that we had hoped for over the course of the week. We’ll just go back to work again this week and get back after it again.”
What could help the Bears is the simple fact that they will be home for three of the team’s last four games. According to Teamrankings.com, the Bears have averaged 7.6 points per game at home in the first quarter (second-most) and 15.6 points per game in the first half (fifth-most).
The Bears have been on the road for three of their last four games, but the confines of Soldier Field may just be exactly what the Bears need to establish a quicker pace on offense.
The post How Ben Johnson can help Caleb Williams, Bears start games faster appeared first on Marquee Sports Network - Home of the Cubs, Bears, Red Stars and Sky.
Continue reading...
The Bears’ second-year quarterback mentioned maintaining focus throughout the entirety of a play, so that he doesn’t have miscues, like incompletions. He also referenced starting faster.
Something easier said than done.
“It’s something you can practice,” Williams said. “But it’s also something – I keep using these analogies and references – but sometimes just seeing the first basket go in and getting your first completion and seeing the pass being caught. Whatever pass it is, whether it’s a deep shot, an intermediate, short, whatever it is. Finding that first completion and getting it into your receiver’s hands or tight end and letting them go to work.”
Williams and the Bears’ offense did the complete opposite in the 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers last Sunday at Lambeau Field. The offense started with three straight punts (two three-and-outs) and only scored three points in the first half in the Week 14 matchup, which put them at a 14-3 deficit.
[READ: DJ Moore still lacks consistency in Bears’ offense after loss to Packers]
After the offense generated 31 passing yards in the first two quarters, head coach Ben Johnson’s offense finally established some rhythm. The Bears’ offense scored on their first three possessions in the second half (touchdown, field goal, touchdown) and tied the game at 21 going into the fourth quarter.
The Packers retook the lead on their next possession, and Williams was unable to complete the comeback after he was intercepted in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the Packers’ 14-yard line.
Johnson and Williams have discussed what it will take for the offense to start quicker, but Williams has told his head coach that anything he calls to start the game is on the table for the quarterback.
“His feedback is, ‘You call it, and I’m going to go ahead and make it work,’” Johnson said. “That’s who he is. He doesn’t care. You want to start the game with a deep ball, go ahead and call it and I’ll make it work. You want to start with quick game, you want to start with screen, whatever. He really doesn’t care. That’s really where you want your quarterback to be. I appreciate that mindset. I just want us to hit the ground running a little bit better than what we have been. We talked a week ago about the passing game needing to improve.
That first half, we didn’t quite make the strides that we had hoped for over the course of the week. We’ll just go back to work again this week and get back after it again.”
What could help the Bears is the simple fact that they will be home for three of the team’s last four games. According to Teamrankings.com, the Bears have averaged 7.6 points per game at home in the first quarter (second-most) and 15.6 points per game in the first half (fifth-most).
The Bears have been on the road for three of their last four games, but the confines of Soldier Field may just be exactly what the Bears need to establish a quicker pace on offense.
The post How Ben Johnson can help Caleb Williams, Bears start games faster appeared first on Marquee Sports Network - Home of the Cubs, Bears, Red Stars and Sky.
Continue reading...
