Bear Digest

Thomas Brown Talking-To Refocuses Caleb Williams for Comeback

The Bears QB and their interim coach had talks about body language and leadership in recent practices and it paid off in the form of a late 24-22 comeback victory.

Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams fires on the run in Sunday's 24-22 Bears comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Caleb Williams fires on the run in Sunday's 24-22 Bears comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Caleb Williams experience is in the books for Year 1 and it would seem to have taken a decided step forward in the later days of this season.

Perhaps it had been Williams' body language in later defeats but interim coach Thomas Brown needed to have talks with his rookie QB recently to try and get him to more consistently behave like the leader like he's shown he can be.

After Sunday's season finale, Brown referred to "some extremely intense conversations" he's had in recent weeks with Williams.

Perhaps all the talk helped as Williams authored his first game-winning, fourth-quarter drive in a 24-22 victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field.

"I always respond to challenges the way I grew up," Williams said. "I always respond well to people that tell me the truth."

So it seems Brown had what could be called heart-to-heart talks with his QB in recent days and even Sunday on the sidelines. Although he didn't go into their exact nature, it seemed to connect based on when they needed Williams to be at his best late Sunday.

"I said all along, when it comes to creating change conflict is necessary," Brown said. "And so it's been good dialogue between us. So, it's not like we've been fighting every single day. But I think understanding what it takes for him to be successful, to be at his best, was always my goal. And so to issue challenges, to always do a good job coaching, critiquing.

"I think the understanding for him, he plays the most difficult position in this game, by far and away. He's a rookie quarterback in this league. But the understanding of him as a leader and the way that he communicates, the way he carries himself, the body language he displays, it affects the entire team but also our offense can't go if he's not going."

Williams buckled down and delivered when it counted. It was the kind of thing the Bears needed to overcome a 367-224 yardage disadvantage in the game.

Williams actually displayed the kind of late-game play they needed on two drives. The first was when they were trying to kill the clock and he hit two crucial short passes and the running game took over.

However, this ended the wrong way when DJ Moore fumbled after a short completion.

Williams came right back out after they'd lost the lead and conducted the 48-yard drive to the winning field goal. The 18-yard completion to set up the win was sight adjustment between he and DJ Moore after he saw which way the defensive back was playing Moore.

The DB had inside leverage so the play was supposed to go deep but when he saw Moore being played off his right shoulder, both he and his receiver knew the slant was coming. The completion and quickly getting downfield to down the ball set up the winning kick.

"I think my role in that is being able to see where I can grow, whether it's on the field, whether it's off the field, whether it's in the locker room or anything like that," Williams said.

Williams summed up the lesson he has learned as simple.

He needs to be more serious about everything and buckle down.

"Whether it's off the field, and maybe having less people around, less distractions, less, you know, less time for, for other things," he said. "Whether that's on the field and being able to decipher, you know, things faster on the field, whether that's, you know, being able to be more accurate, whether that's being able to have more game-winning drives, whatever. Whatever it takes is kind of where I'm at for myself."

It showed up as 21 of 29 for 148 yards and a TD with a 95.2 passer rating Sunday. Until the fourth quarter, the Bears hadn't managed a completion longer than 15 yards but on the final two drives they had critical 18-yard, 15-yard and 32-yard completions

For the season, it showed up as a 5-12 record but ultimately more hope for the future.

Brown looked back at how Williams had led them back to lead against Washington, led them back to try for the game-winner in the first Green Bay game, led them back for a chance to beat Detroit before losing and led them back against Minnesota before an overtime loss. In each of those Williams did his part but the defense or special teams failed him.

"So, I think it's multiple opportunities that he's proved he's by far and away going to be a franchise quarterback," Brown said. "A lot of room for growth and improvement for sure, but he thrives in those moments."

It's been proven, and now with a win.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.