Bear Digest

Why Caleb Williams Rates Among Bears Who Can Give Rams Problems

After three games, the passing ability of Caleb Williams has surfaced and he'll be among Bears players with the best chance to impress against a struggling Rams secondary.

Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams' mobility could show up against a Rams defense that has struggled against scrambling QBs.
Caleb Williams' mobility could show up against a Rams defense that has struggled against scrambling QBs. / Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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When trying to figure out which Bears players can cause the Rams the most damage, it might be best to leave the stat sheet at home.

The Rams defense looks so bad on paper, you might think the Bears could throw equipment manager Tony Medlin onto the field at running back or receiver and pile up big yardage.

The Rams have started out 29th against the pass and 31st -- or next to last -- against the run, which means they're dead last at 32nd overall on defense.

The Bears don't need to look at ranking sheets, though. Not after last week.

They kept hearing all last week how the Colts had the worst run defense in the league and then they had trouble running it effectively.

Three weeks into the season, it's more about who you played than about the numbers on a stat sheet. Later in the season, the schedule balances out the competition. But at this time of the year, the Rams have been through a gauntlet.

The Rams defense had to face the Lions, the 49ers and Kyler Murray with the red-hot Cardinals offense.

Of course they rank well down the line in defense statistics.

This matchup is more about both teams knowing it's far easier to arrive at midseason in the middle of the playoff hunt by starting 2-2 than by starting 1-3. There needs to be a real sense of urgency.

"I think there's always a sense of urgency in the NFL," coach Matt Eberflus said Friday. "It's every week. Every one of these games counts and there's always a sense of urgency to execute and get the job done that week.

"If it doesn't happen, like last week, you're disappointed. The guys have to learn to move to the next week. Like, we won the first game, you've gotta move to the next week. That's important that you learn how to do that."

There are Bears players who have matchups they can exploit and prove they know how to do what Eberflus needs to see. Here are the players who can give the Rams the most fits.

QB Caleb Williams

Really? Yes, Williams. Williams was thoroughly for his play in the first two games before throwing for 363 yards last week. The reason Williams should be able to hurt the Rams is his mobility as a passer and a runner and also his arm. Rams linebackers haven't been quick to the mark on scrambles. Kyler Murray and Brock Purdy both hurt the Rams defense with over 90 yards rushing. They're not the only ones who can scramble. Williams can run. In fact, he is 1 yard from leading the Bears in rushing at the moment with 68 yards. Also, Williams is going against a pass defense with two of the worst-ranked cornerbacks in the league according to Pro Football Focus. Tre'Davious White is 83rd of 95 cornerbacks against the pass according to PFF, and nickl back Quentin Lake is 87th of 95. The Bears will have all three wide receivers back playing for Williams to target. If he gets the time, he can scorch a secondary already smarting from being hurt by Purdy, Jared Goff and Murray.

WR DJ Moore

Moore's average per catch hasn't been anyting to get excited about, even though he has a team-high 19 catches. He's at 8.8 yards a catch. He can get downfield for the deep ball against the Rams not only because of the cornerbacks' problems, but because L.A. safeties haven't been very good, either. Kamren Curl is graded 65th of 73 safeties graded by PFF. Moore has been open a few times deep and the connection didn't occur but the Rams secondary should have enough to worry about from other receivers to allow Moore to get space for catches.

RB D'Andre Swift

Although the Bears reportedly could give more carries to Roschon Johnson this week, no one has said Swift is getting benched. Even though he has averaged 1.8 yards a carry, this is another team he should be able to hurt with big plays, either between the tackles or outside of them. The Rams gave up 231 yards rushing to the Cardinals, 163 to the Lions, and 137 last week to a 49ers team that doesn't have Christian McCaffrey. Swift should moving this week.

The Rams are allowing 7.75 yards per 12 rushes outside right tackle and 5.0 yards per rush over right tackle. It's a good opportunity for the Bears to load up between two of their bigger linemen, Darnell Wright and Matt Pryor, and head upfield. They're not very good defending around left end and left tackle, either (5.39 yards per 36 rushing plays according to NFLgsis.com), so wide zone blocking is back in effect.

WR Rome Odunze

His confidence is up after a 44-yard reception last week and he'll be the third player the beleaguered Rams secondary needs to worry about. Do they have the coverage talent to spread out that thin and cover a third receiver, not to mention Cole Kmet.

DT Gervon Dexter

The Bears move their 3-technique tackle along the line and so he'll go against both guard Kevin Dotson and Jonah Jackson. Jackson is 51st of 65 guards and Dotson 58th according to PFF grades. Dexter has improved dramatically, by pressures and also in PFF grade from last year. He is currently graded 38th among 117 interior defensive line players after he was in the bottom 20 players last year year.

He has two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and two sacks, as well as six pressures. It's pressure from the interior the Bears really need in this game because Matthew Stafford isn't the scrambling, perimeter passer they've been facing in the first three games. He's a pocket player who steps up and fires. A 6-foot-6, long-armed tackle can knock down some of those passes, as well. 

S Jaquan Brisker

When the Bears played Stafford in the past, he had a tendency to challenge their safeties and sometimes won. Other times he lost big time. Eddie Jackson burned him with big interceptions in the past. Brisker is well position to face a depleted Rams secondary and has missed only two tackles in 25 attempts this year. He has a passer rating against of 91.2 according to Stathead. He's on course this year to allow 266 yards passing on the season after giving up 352 and 442 his first two years.

DE DeMarcus Walker

On most downs he'll be going against Warren McClendon Jr., the Rams left tackle who is in his second year. McClendon is off to an awful start, especially pass blocking. He is graded the worst tackle on either side of the line among NFL starters. He has a 39.2 PFF grade and his pass blocking grade is last, as well, at 34.1. He has allowed three sacks in 130 plays.

While Walker is edge on that side, the Bears are flipping Montez Sweat more this year and he could also get to take a run at McClendon.

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.