History made: Caleb Williams does something no NFL player ever has

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 2 hours ago

CHICAGO - Quarterback Caleb Williams was drafted to be the quarterback of the future.

Against the Cincinnati Bengals, he proved he can live up to that. Williams became the first player in NFL history with at least 275 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, and 20 receiving yards in a single game.

“He is a great athlete. He can beat you any number of ways - traditional quarterback play, in the pocket, really strong arm, can throw the ball down the field. But then also, his legs add another element to the equation and so, I think we saw (Sunday). I think he had 53 yards on the ground which was really encouraging to see,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “That helped us extend some drives and we needed it in certain times. So, that was awesome and then, it just worked out that way to where we were able to take advantage of that defense just a little bit, get them outnumbered on one side of the field and get the ball to him. So, it was good. He came through for us.”

Part of what made Williams successful against Cincinnati was the wide receivers' ability to adjust to Williams’ movements outside the pocket. The offensive line also did a good job of protecting him.

This revamped offensive line has allowed only 14 sacks through eight games this season, a significant improvement over last year.

“I think our guys had some pretty good reactions when they saw him get flushed out. He threw some good, catchable balls and they came down with it and then there were a few times where he was looking down the field, it wasn’t there and he decided to take off with his legs and so, it was a good mix of that,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t like he was trying to overdo it with his legs or try to force anything with his arm. I think he found the right balance with playing fast and making the defense hurt. I think that’s part of what makes him unique as a player and (we) want to incorporate that as part of the offense. We don’t want to shy away from it.”

Chicago will have the opportunity to extend its winning streak to two games with a win over the New York Giants on Sunday. Nov. 9 (Noon / FOX). The Giants have a 2-7 record, but just lost their starting running back, Cam Skattebo, for the season.

New York has struggled defensively, especially against the run. This could bode well for the Bears, who have been successful in the running game.

Rookie running back Kyle Monangai had 176 rushing yards against the Bengals with an average of 6.8 yards per carry. Between him and D’Andre Swift, who had 124 rushing yards and a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints a few weeks ago, Chicago should be able to keep up their success in the run game when they face the Giants.

This matchup also gives Williams the opportunity to grow off the momentum of his performance against the Bengals.

New York has given up over 2,000 passing yards and 15 touchdown receptions this season. While they are not as bad as Cincinnati or the Dallas Cowboys, who Williams faced earlier in the season, this is still a good chance for Williams to continue his progress and perhaps have his first 300-yard passing game of the season.