Caleb Williams Battles Through Rookie Struggles as Bears Endure Another Losing Streak
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — For Caleb Williams, finding the right words to describe the Chicago Bears’ current situation wasn’t easy. After all, going winless for 60 days is uncharted territory for the rookie quarterback.
“It’s … interesting, is the way I put it,” Williams said. “I’ve never had a streak like this of losing.”
The Chicago Bears are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, their latest defeat coming in a 38-13 blowout against the San Francisco 49ers. It was also the first game for interim head coach Thomas Brown, who took over midseason. But here’s the kicker: this streak isn’t because of turnovers. In fact, the Bears are the only team since 1933, when turnovers were first tracked, to lose seven straight games without committing multiple turnovers in any of those losses, according to ESPN Research.
Unfortunately for Bears fans, this isn’t their first long stretch of losses in recent years. The team set a franchise record with 14 consecutive losses spanning from Week 8 of the 2022 season through Week 4 of 2023. For Williams, who had only experienced a three-game losing streak during his collegiate career at USC in 2023, this is a whole new level of adversity.
“So I ask questions,” Williams said. “I do understand that this is, one, my first time being a part of something like this, of losing and this streak going, so I ask questions to the guys that may have lost a bunch of games in a row like this or had losing seasons. I ask them questions because the more knowledge that I have prepares me for the future if this ever comes close to something like this again.”
Signs of Growth Amid the Struggles
Despite the team’s 4-9 record, there’s a silver lining: Caleb Williams is showing signs of development. Since Thomas Brown took over as offensive coordinator on Nov. 12, Williams has made noticeable strides. Over the past four games (Weeks 11 to 14), his performance has improved significantly compared to the Bears’ 4-2 start earlier in the season, when he became the first No. 1 overall pick to win four of his first six starts.
Here’s a breakdown of Williams’ progress under Brown:
- QBR: Increased from 40 to 70
- Completion Percentage: Improved from 61% to 66%
- Yards Per Attempt: Jumped from 6.1 to 6.9
- Touchdown-to-Interception Ratio: Went from 9-5 to 7-0
- Off-Target Percentage: Dropped from 23% to 18%
Williams hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 6, when the Bears last won against Jacksonville. His streak of 255 consecutive pass attempts without an interception is now the longest by a rookie in NFL history and the longest by any Bears quarterback in the past 45 seasons.
What’s Behind the Improvement?
Brown attributes Williams’ success to his ability to take calculated risks. “I would say that [he is throwing a lot of passes] and also he’s not playing scared,” Brown said. “He’s ripping some footballs into tight windows. I think it’s probably even more impressive. It’s not like he’s sitting back there not taking an opportunity. [He’s] taking chances down the field.”
One key adjustment has been the Bears’ increased use of pre-snap motion. Under former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, Chicago ranked 25th in motion usage (49%). Since Brown took over, that number has jumped to 59%, ranking 13th in the league. The results? An uptick in yards per attempt (6.0 to 6.6) and a better touchdown-to-interception ratio (9-to-4 to 7-to-1). Williams’ off-target percentage also dropped by 5% with the added motion.
Areas for Improvement
While Williams has made strides, there’s still work to be done. The rookie has been sacked 56 times this season, tying Tim Couch (1999) for the third-most sacks taken by a rookie quarterback since 1963. Only David Carr (76 in 2002) and Bryce Young (62 in 2023) have been sacked more.
“There’s small mistakes that — maybe the snap point of certain motions and things like that — that I can get better at,” Williams said. “That means a lot to a defense if we’re having fast motion where we snap it, it means a lot to the other side of the ball. Being detailed, being on point, you can always get better and grow from there.”
Brown also emphasized the importance of avoiding sacks in critical situations, particularly on late downs. “It’s harder when it comes to not being able to mix it up between run and play-action keeper. They know it’s pass. Obviously, the D-line can be more active when it comes to that,” Brown explained.
Looking Ahead
The Bears face a tough challenge in their upcoming game against the Minnesota Vikings, who rank fourth in the league with 40 sacks. In their Week 12 matchup, Williams performed well against the Vikings’ pressure, completing 9-of-12 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns against the blitz. However, a critical sack in overtime ultimately sealed the Bears’ fate in a 30-27 loss.
As the season winds down, all eyes will be on Williams to see how he handles the final stretch of his rookie campaign. Can he continue to grow and help the Bears end their losing streak? One thing is certain: the young quarterback is determined to learn from this experience and come back stronger.
Originally Written by: Courtney Cronin
