Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams seems to have only taken something positive away from the cheap sideline hit that cornerback Jalen Ramsey laid on him in his team’s 31-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12.
During the game’s second quarter, Williams ran for roughly nine yards and a first down on a designed quarterback run out of the shotgun formation to convert a 4th-and-1 try. As he slowed on his way to his sideline, though, Ramsey caught up to him and shoved him hard out of the bounds, a legal hit that provoked reaction from the Bears players.
Bears defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson stepped up first, moving almost as soon as Williams hit the ground to get up in Ramsey’s face and grab a fistful of his jersey. Other Bears defenders, including Gervon Dexter Sr. and Jaquan Brisker, followed behind him, talking back to Ramsey, who continued to chirp the sideline as officials separated them.
In the moment, Williams said he didn’t realize Gardner-Johnson — a relatively new teammate — had jumped to his defense so quickly. But watching it back afterward, he reaffirmed that standing up for each other is just part of who this new Bears team is.
“I didn’t notice that until I went back and watched. It’s what we offer each other,” Williams said. “If C.J. was out there and somebody on the offensive side, their offense, did something wrong on the sideline, I would expect all of us to be right there in the white and protect each other. Because that’s who we are. We fight for each other. We protect each other and, you know, I appreciate those boys for standing up for me.”
Ben Johnson Critiqued Caleb Williams for Role in Hit
Ramsey might have cheaply shoved Williams out of bounds, but Bears head coach Ben Johnson isn’t making any excuses for his quarterback’s role in taking such a hard hit.
While Johnson commended the execution of the play — a gutsy call that rewarded them with a touchdown later that drive — he admitted he would have liked to see Williams run out of bounds faster and avoid leaving himself open for a “completely legal hit.”
“Huge play for us there,” Johnson said in November 25’s news conference. “Want to get Caleb out of bounds just a little bit sooner, but, you know, the crazy thing is, when things like that happen, it almost ignites your sideline even more.
“It was a completely legal hit — you know, he was in-bounds. But at the same time, just to see the whole sideline come to life, I think it kind of adds another spark there to your offense and really the whole team.”
Caleb Williams Has Shown Development in Win Steak
Ultimately, Williams got the last laugh on Ramsey as he and the Bears fought back for a 31-28 victory and won their fourth straight game to retain first place in the NFC North. The former No. 1 overall pick also seems to be heating up at the right time for Chicago.
In the last four games, Williams has thrown for 932 yards, rushed for 163 yards and scored eight total touchdowns, including a 17-yard go-ahead rushing score against the New York Giants in Week 10. He has also regularly embarrassed pass rushers with his “Houdini” escapability to avoid numerous sacks — excluding T.J. Watt’s strip-sack.
Even still, Williams has lots of room to improve. His reads and decision-making have gotten better, but his accuracy has still not quite fallen into line, particularly on his deep or intermediate throws. He has completed fewer than 60% of his passes in seven matchups for the Bears this season, even though they survived each one with a win.
Maybe the Bears can continue winning even if the accuracy issues persist, but it would certainly help matters if Williams started hitting his targets more consistently.
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