The Chicago Bears are desperately in need of a rebound. So far, they are off to a 0-2 start, which includes a 31-point slaughter by the Detroit Lions.
Coach Ben Johnson was heavily blamed for a perceived lack of an effective offensive strategy. Also, the offensive line were criticized for not protecting Caleb Williams enough.
Nevertheless, Williams managed to put on a great performance despite the loss. He finished with 207 passing yards and threw two touchdown passes.
However, Williams finds himself in the same company as Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, but not in a positive manner, per Bill Barnwell of ESPN.
“So how is Williams doing? Two things can be true. On one hand, Williams isn't “fixed” or a finished product like the one the Bears saw on the opening drive of the season. He has a 26.6% off-target rate this season, nearly double the league average (14.2%).”
The one statistic that puts him close to Mahomes is the percentage of passes completed.
“Williams has the third-highest expected completion percentage (70.1%, per NFL Next Gen Stats) yet is completing only 61.5% of his throws; the only quarterback underproducing his expected completion percentage by a higher margin this season is Patrick Mahomes.”
The blessing and the curse of Caleb Williams carrying the Bears on his shoulders
When it comes to Williams, he is caught in the middle of a bind that he didn't create. On the one hand, he has risen to the occasion even when the Bears don't do the same for him.
When things look bleak, she is still the one bright spot. Then on the other hand, when things don't go well, it is easy to point the finger at Williams given the stature of the NFL quarterback.
As a result, Williams has both the blessing and the curse of being the one leading the way.
