Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has never seen anything like Vikings coordinator Brian Flores’ defense: a blitzing, bluffing, chaotic attack meant to confuse veteran quarterbacks, much less rookie ones.
The Vikings blitz 37.7% of the time, the highest rate in the NFL, per Pro Football Reference. They lead the league in pressure rate, too — they’ve either sacked, hurried or knocked down the quarterback 29.6% of the time. They’re third in the league with 35 sacks, the impact of a coordinator who thrives on sending extra rushers and daring quarterbacks to beat the Vikings’ man defense.
“He’s the King of Cover-0 Blitz,” Williams said, “and finding a bunch of different ways to do it.”
One week after his shotgun marriage with coordinator Thomas Brown moved the Bears’ offense in the right direction, Williams will face his most unique challenge in a season full of them Sunday at Soldier Field.
“They are aggressive, they are attacking, they are opportunistic,” Brown said. “So it’s going to be important for us to go into the game, first and foremost, and play with no fear. We’re never going to coach fear, never play with fear. For me, that starts first with preparation. Because fear and faith only exist in the future, so why fear what hasn’t happened yet?”
There’s plenty to worry about. But there are also answers to the test and opportunities to spring big plays against the gambling Vikings. Over two games against the Vikings last season, the Bears’ six longest plays went for an average of 28 yards. Their other 127 averaged 3.3 yards.
The Bears need to avoid being put into second-and-long or third-and-long by running the ball well. The Vikings, though, allow a league-low 74.4 rushing yards per game and force more second-and-longs than any team in football.
Williams has a 81.7 passer rating against the blitz, which ranks 30th out of 36 qualified quarterbacks. He posted a 104.6 against the Packers blitz last week, though, going 7-for-9 for 82 yards against extra rushers.
Against the Packers, Brown designed plays intended to get the ball out of Williams’ hands. He was sacked three times — only once before the final drive of the game.
Williams will have to be alert before the snap in order to audible into the right protections, but he knows there will be times when he needs to get rid of the ball. Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Williams’ “natural ability is to get the ball out fast,” but the rookie can’t hesitate in the face of a rush. When Williams did earlier this month, he was sacked 15 times over two games.
“I think I could do a lot better,” Williams said. “Especially this week knowing that they’re going to try and blitz me — and when they do bring those blitzes, being decisive, getting the ball out of my hands, getting it to my playmakers. And then let them go break tackles, make plays and run down the sidelines.”
It’s one thing to talk about handling the Vikings’ blitz and another to do it. The Bears lined up with an empty backfield on their first offensive play against the Vikings last year at Soldier Field. Quarterback Justin Fields looked right to throw a curl route to fullback Khari Blasingame and was sacked by linebacker D.J. Wonnum, who rushed untouched off the left edge.
Fields questioned Luke Getsy’s play call after the game, saying Blasingame wasn’t able to get open underneath because defenders didn’t see him as a threat to go deep.
“Every time you put a running back, fullback or a tight end out at No. 1 over a corner, he’s not gonna think you’re going deep on him,” Fields said.
Brown needs to have a better game plan than Getsy did, and Williams needs to execute it.
“They bring a lot of people,” receiver DJ Moore said. “You gotta have answers for it. I mean, they’re beatable in their coverages, but if you miss, they’re gettin’ home.”