Bears QB Caleb Williams on 4-interception game vs. Bucs: ‘Going to keep gripping it and keep ripping it’

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams played one of the worst games of his career Sunday against the Buccaneers and still got away with a 27-24 win.

Williams threw a career-high four interceptions — he’d never thrown more than two — and completed 22 of 37 passes for 279 yards with two touchdowns for a 61.5 passer rating. Those mistakes, as well as a lost fumble late in the game by wide receiver Luther Burden, prevented the Bears from a runaway victory and left them needing a last-second, 38-yard field goal by Cairo Santos to win.

Williams came through on that final drive with a 38-yard pass to tight end Colston Loveland that got the Bears in field-goal range at the Bucs’ 16-yard line.

“I’m going to throw until I can’t throw anymore,” he said. “That’s how I live. That’s how I grew up. That’s what I am. I don’t get gun shy. I’m going to keep gripping it and keep ripping it.”

Williams was critical of his play, which included three interceptions in the first half after jumping out to a 14-0 lead. The Bears easily could’ve gone into halftime up 20 or more points, but instead led 17-6 and allowed the Bucs to pull within 17-13 early in the third quarter.

Williams described his first interception, a throw to the end zone for wide receiver Rome Odunze as “greedy.” On the next two, which came on consecutive passes, he let the Bucs’ pass rush pressure him into bad decisions. The fourth interception, in the third quarter, was tipped at the line.

“Just tried to be the big eraser,” Williams said. “That’s what I’ve been. That’s what I will be. Today, I wasn’t.”