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Detroit Lions' Dan Campbell Impressed With 'Composed' Chicago Bears Rookie Caleb Williams

Quarterback Caleb Williams has rewritten the Chicago Bears rookie record books. Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell previewed the Williams'' composed play and said "the last two games I really feel like he’s taken off." Chicago plays Detroit on Thanksgiving at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Kyron Samuels

Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) warms up before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images / Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
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The 4-7 Chicago Bears, riding a five-game losing streak, take on the 10-1 Detroit Lions in a Thanksgiving day matchup in Ford Field. Former USC Trojan quarterback Caleb Williams has rewritten the Bears rookie record books in recent weeks. Williams became the Bears’ all-time leader in passing yards for a rookie and equaled the franchise record for passing touchdowns by a rookie against the Minnesota Vikings.

“There’s just a lot and so what I’ve been impressed with is just he has grown, he has grown every game but these last two I really feel like he’s taken off and what they’re doing with him has been really good for him and he just looks very composed. He doesn’t get frazzled, plays pretty fast, and he’s an accurate passer, big arm, and he’s got some guys that can get open for him.” said Lions coach Dan Campbell of Caleb Williams. 

Chicago plays Detroit on Thanksgiving at 12:30 p.m. ET. on CBS.

“I feel like he's playing really good football, just the way that he's confidently just ripping the ball. It's impressive, man, when he cuts it loose. I was watching the big screen in the stadium, and I felt like sometimes the camera couldn't necessarily catch up with the football. I feel like he's just got such an ability to just rip the ball in there, and obviously when he gets outside the pocket when he's able to run and make plays, he's very dangerous that way, as well.” fellow USC Trojan quarterback Sam Darnold said of Williams.

Per RidellSports’s Jordan Anderson, Williams became the 10th rookie in NFL history to have three or more games with 300 pass yards and two or more passing touchdowns. He needs two more to tie the record held by Andrew Luck, Justin Herbert, and CJ Stroud. In more interesting stats, Per ZebraSports, Williams set an NFL record for consecutive pass attempts without a touchdown or interception with 165 passes before his touchdown pass to DJ Moore against the Vikings. 

As good as Williams has been in recent weeks, he has a unique challenge in front of him with the Detroit Lions' defense. The Lions are the twelfth-ranked total defense but second-best scoring defense in the National Football League. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glen has been so impressive he’s considered the front-runner for any potential head coaching vacancies to come.

Another unique challenge is the ball-hawking ability of Lions safety Brian Branch. Branch has 61 tackles, 13 pass breakups, four interceptions, three tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery. He primarily played as a nickel last season but has made the move to safety this season. Branch’s versatility is a strong point as he’ll line up wherever the Lions need and is often the blitz man in pressure situations. Williams will have to know where Branch is at all times. 

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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