Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams keeps re-writing the history books.
Last week, Chicago’s QB1 set the franchise’s record for passing yards for a rookie. I know, I know. It took him more than 50 pass attempts to get to that 363-yard number. And, yes, I understand that it came during a loss. Trust me, I know how hard it is to compartmentalize history while sifting through a tough loss. It is never fun. But the rookie signal-caller continues making history, which I find to be neat.
One week after making history in Indianapolis, Caleb Williams did something no other rookie quarterback has done in the modern common-draft era:
This is such a unique stat. It feels heavily filtered. But still … this stat says something about the quarterback, the team, and the history of struggles No. 1 overall picks who play as a rookie. There is a lot to filter through in that factoid. However, rather than doing so, I just want to enjoy a niche little factoid that is fun and hope that sharing it with you will bring a smile to your face as you try to enjoy a Bears victory Monday.
Caleb Williams continues to show signs of growth
From a production standpoint, I saw these two tweets and made sure to bookmark them to share them here for further discussion:
I had two major takeaways regarding Caleb Williams after his Week 4 performance. Firstly, his ability to handle pressure has gotten better each game. This isn’t to say that it is perfect. It isn’t. Williams has work to do, as do the offensive linemen blocking in front of him. But seeing Caleb calmly create time and space to throw to safety-net pass-catchers like D’Andre Swift, Keenan Allen, and Cole Kmet is a sight for sore eyes. It is especially so when you allow yourself to think about how far Williams has come since that one egregiously awful sack in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans. Growth isn’t always linear. And it doesn’t always show up in the passing yards department.
MORE: The Good, The Bad, and the Great From the Bears Week 4 Win
With that being said, the other takeaway is that it seems as if Caleb Williams is working hard to overcome his surroundings. The Bears have asked Williams to lean on the veterans around him. And with good reason. This front office did a ton of heavy lifting to reshape the roster. Caleb *SHOULD* be leaning on the support system around him. HOWEVER, what I don’t want to happen is for the Bears’ quarterback to become a conservative check-down artist because a defensive-minded head coach wants to suppress creativity, aggressiveness, and explosive play-making in the name of “well, at least he didn’t turn it over.”
As far as I’m concerned, this quote from Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus ain’t it:
And yet, it is undeniable that Caleb Williams is getting better — even if it seems as if the Bears are trying to Bears-it-up with another talented rookie QB.
In the end, I’m trying to keep it cool while seeing Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams continue his growth. Sure, I see what Jayden Daniels is doing with the Washington Commanders. And I do wish Chicago’s QB1 was putting up the type of passing numbers that we are seeing from D.C.’s signal caller. But I also realize that not everyone’s path to quarterbacking greatness looks the same. So I’m not bothered one bit. Ultimately, so long as Caleb keeps growing, learning, and developing, then I have a feeling that I’ll continue to be pleasantly pleased by the bigger picture.