The 4-6 Chicago Bears and former USC Trojan quarterback Caleb Williams are in an unusual position. The team is in the middle of a four-game losing streak, including two devastating losses as time expires, and somehow, the environment remains somewhat hopeful for the future. After a three-game skid, Bears brass decided to part ways with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and replace him with Thomas Brown.
The newest challenge for the rookie quarterback and his new offensive coordinator is division foe 8-2 Minnesota Vikings and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who leads the NFL’s fourth-best scoring defense. Flores, a Bill Belichick protégé, is known for his nerve-wracking blitz packages and creating confusion.
Despite a 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Chicago's offense looked better than it had in a month and played well enough to put the team in position for a game-winning field goal as time expired. Williams, who had been struggling in his rookie year, played the second-best game of his career, going 23/31 passing for 231 passing yards and adding 70 rushing yards on nine attempts.
“I mean, obviously, he’s super talented, but it’s the QB mobility that stands out to me. The off-script plays, when you have a quarterback like that, you know every play you can be in the perfect position, you can have the perfect call, perfect technique, perfect fundamentals, perfect leverage. He spins out, and next thing you know, it’s a ball downfield to really good receivers,” said Flores when asked about the former Trojan.
“We got to do a really good job just from a pass rush awareness standpoint, trying to keep him in the pocket. Every team, every week, is saying the exact same things, and they’re working at it, I’m sure. He’s a really good player, so he finds ways to navigate the pocket, and like I said, they got really good receivers,” Flores continued.
Williams will clash with arguably the most complex scheme and visuals in the league this Sunday, but unlike past weeks, it won’t be all on Williams to make it happen. Brown understands what the Bears offense is up against and is emphasizing the importance of protecting his young quarterback in every way possible.
“I think it’s a work in progress throughout the week. I think just making sure I’m communicating clear and concise to him [Williams] and also asking him for his feedback as far as, do you want reminders in the headset about this particular play?… That’s my job, to alleviate stress off of him,” said Brown in response to how he communicates with Caleb Williams.
Communication, trust, and problem solving. That’s just what the doctor ordered for this Bears team and Caleb Williams. As the young signal caller continues to face tasks like Flores’ defense, having a coach like Brown to guide the ship can help shape Williams into the player the Bears faithful have been yearning for.
