Bear Digest

What's Wrong with Caleb Williams' Deep Throws?

The passer the Bears saw over the last two games is nothing like over the previous four, and his struggles come at a time when the offense was expected take off.

Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams spends a few moments reflecting on his struggles during the loss Sunday to Arizona.
Caleb Williams spends a few moments reflecting on his struggles during the loss Sunday to Arizona. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Caleb Williams is mystified by his inaccuracy, especially on longer throws.

It's been the topic of numerous analysts over the past week after the Bears failed to score a touchdown against Arizona. Analytics show he's inaccurate but not why.

The quarterback who was so accurate throwing deep in college is not getting close now.

According to NFLGSIS statistics, the Bears are completing 19% when they throw deep left, which is 31st in the league, and 19% when they throw deep right, which is last in the league.

Williams completion rate of 61.2% is not good but his expected rate of completion based on NextGen Stats analyzing his throws is 63%, so he's underperforming. They track him at 8.5 yards average intended air yards, which is eighth longest among starters. But he is only 27th in completed air yards.

Pro Football Focus has him graded 50th out of all NFL QBs at throwing deep. The only QBs he rates better than are Tyler Huntley and Mitchell Trubisky, a pair of subs.

Asked on Wednesday if Williams is having mechanical issues when he throws, Bears coach Matt Eberflus wouldn't confirm this.

"I would say nothing mechanically," Eberflus said. "Talked to him about the rhythm, just the rhythm and the timing of it as he scans across. Dotting the guys as he scans across, the first guy working through all the way through the fourth and fifth guy.

"That's just normal quarterbacking and progressions and just being cleaner with that, being more consistent with that. When he does that it's a good operation."

Basically, Eberflus is saying Williams just needs to get quicker and more comfortable going through his potential targets in the offense.

"The overarching thing would be what I said," Eberflus said. "Just the going through the progressions and making sure that he's going through them the right way and then going through one through four."

Williams was asked about frustration with the passing problems becoming an issue.

"It's frustrating," he said. "Like you said, I've worked hard over the years when I wanted to become a quarterback of accuracy being the most important thing. I still pride myself on that. Not being accurate, not being on time with things is frustrating because that has kind of been my thing. Something I’ve at least been pretty solid at.

"Right now, I'm not being as solid as I've been, not as solid as I pride myself on. Definitely going to get there, we're going to get there, I'm going to get there. It starts with me and boils down from there."

Williams even said it's no fun watching himself on film when he's throwing this way.

The first overall draft pick offered up some ways he could see to escape this situation. Key is being in better sync with his receivers.

"I think partly is being on the same page and being able to find ways before or after practice, during practice to be able to talk over a little bit more, to be able to get those routes ran in practice, to be able (to work) vs. different coverages and things like that, shells and one-highs and cover-2s and cover-4s and things like that and how (defenses) run it and most likely learning the ways that the wide receivers are going to attack the defense," Williams said. "And then I think from there, that will help.

"And then, and then, some throws just give my guys a chance like the one (vs. Arizona to DJ down the sideline that I missed slightly out of bounds. I tried to throw him a perfect ball instead give your seven-year, six-year guy a shot at making a catch."

Basically, it's going to take work, a lot of it.

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.