The Chicago Bears got their first win of the Ben Johnson era in Sunday’s decisive 31-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The Week 3 rout helped quiet critics, as some insiders had gone so far as to float the idea of a possible Caleb Williams benching after back-to-back poor showings at the start of the season.
Williams’ performance against a generous Cowboys defense was much more in line with what fans expected after the team hired Johnson over the offseason. And the Bears’ head coach noticed a difference in the second-year quarterback.
“I see him playing the game with his feet much more so than what we had in the spring or during training camp. He's trying to tie in No. 1 in the progression with the first hitch, No. 2 with the second hitch and we're trying to throw on time a lot more often than maybe we were initially. I see it coming along.,” Johnson said of Williams' progress, per ESPN’s Courtney Cronin.
Caleb Williams shines in first win under Ben Johnson
The former first-overall draft pick completed 19 of 28 pass attempts for 298 yards and four touchdowns against Dallas in Week 3. And he didn’t commit a turnover. It was the first time he’s thrown four touchdowns without an interception as a pro. Williams also didn't take a single sack in the game en route to a career-high passer rating of 142.6.
Some of this success can be attributed to the opponent. The Cowboys have the league’s worst pass defense. And Dallas ranks 30th in the NFL in total defense. Still, Williams’ play inspired hope in the fanbase.
The Bears suffered a brutal collapse in Week 1 as the Minnesota Vikings came storming back in the fourth quarter to win in J.J. McCarthy’s NFL debut. And last week the Detroit Lions ruined Johnson’s homecoming 52-21 But despite some early struggles from Williams, Johnson saw “significant growth” in the young QB.
Some of the passer’s stats over the first two weeks backed up his coach’s faith, pointing to a silver lining in Williams’ start to the season. The 23-year-old signal caller had completed 40 percent of passes 20+ yards down the field. And his PFF grade on deep balls improved as well.
In Week 3, the growth Johnson saw in his quarterback finally led to a win. The Bears are now 1-2 as they prepare to face the Las Vegas Raiders on the road Sunday.
