When the Chicago Bears walk into U.S. Bank Stadium for Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, they will be 64 days removed from their last victory. The team’s seven-game losing streak has taken a toll. Yet for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, there’s still a sizable challenge ahead to finish the season strong.
Three weeks after falling to the Vikings 30-27 in overtime, the Bears will get their rematch. With kickoff approaching, here’s our Week 15 entry to “The Caleb Williams File.”
The buzz
Williams has been seeking counsel, soliciting advice from teammates on how to navigate the longest losing streak of his football life. The Bears have not won since Oct. 13 in London. That’s 62 days ago for those keeping track. And within the team’s seven consecutive losses are three blowouts and four games decided on the final play.
It has been a wild ride for Williams. And it was clear Thursday afternoon that the commotion had taken its toll on the rookie. Williams labeled this season’s wild ride as “interesting,” leaving vast room for interpretation on the thought bubbles that must be bouncing around his head. But he also has been pushing to squeeze meaning and growth from the entire experience, as frustrating as it has been.
“I ask questions to the guys who may have lost a bunch of games in a row like this or who have had losing seasons,” Williams said. “I ask them questions because the more knowledge that I have will prepare me for the future if this ever comes close to (happening) like this again.
“I’m going to work hard and make sure that it doesn’t. But if it ever happens again, (it’s about) figuring out ways to keep going and keep pushing. Because it’s part of it. Seasons like this happen every once in a while. And being able to learn from it, being able to address it and being able to respond is the most important thing.”
Also important for Williams: summoning the mental toughness and full focus to finish the season strong.
Four games remain for the Bears, including Monday night’s NFC North test against the 11-2 Minnesota Vikings. Over the season’s final 21 days, Williams will have a chance to face three division opponents for a second time this season. That will help him gain exposure to teams he will be facing frequently in the future. A lot of growth also can occur between now and locker-cleanout day if Williams can stay fully locked in at every meeting, walkthrough and practice while then working to turn his behind-the-scenes preparation into production in games.
After everything the Bears have been through over the last two months, it would be easy for any player — especially a rookie quarterback — to feel demoralized and defeated and, as a result, lose the attentiveness that’s required to succeed in the NFL. Williams can’t fall into that trap.
Spotlight play
Williams’ first touchdown pass Sunday in the blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers was a thing of beauty, a 4-yard dot to Rome Odunze in the back-right corner of the end zone. It was the duo’s first scoring connection since Week 3 in Indianapolis. And they followed it up two possessions later with another TD of 14 yards.
That first score was representative of the growing chemistry between the rookies, a trust throw by Williams that Odunze turned into points with an impressive combination of concentration and body control.
“The defenders got confused on our motion,” Williams said, “and they weren’t decisive. Rome ran a great route, didn’t get collision so I just gave him an opportunity with a ball on the back pylon. That’s something we practice all the time. And he went up and made a great play.”
Receivers coach and offensive coordinator Chris Beatty loved the release Odunze won with on that play and also praised the receiver’s ability to get his feet down as he secured the catch.
“That’s something we work on quite a bit, whether it’s on the sideline or in the back of the end zone,” Beatty said. “It’s having awareness to get our feet in bounds and then foot drag. And those things both showed up in that situation.
“Rome is special in the fact that he’s a special player but he’s also a special person. Everything that you coach he takes in. He takes notes. If you ever saw his notebook, it looks like a college kid who’s in a business class or something. He takes notes on everything. So as a receivers coach, you respect that. Because he wants to learn from everybody.”
The growing rapport between Odunze and Williams remains a big deal for the Bears future. So every bit of production matters, no matter the circumstances.
Up next
Williams did a nice job handling the multitude of pressures and disguises Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores sent at him in Week 12. The Bears quarterback threw for 340 yards with two TD passes in that game three weeks ago and operated with impressive poise.
Replicating that will be essential Monday night. And it will be more difficult, too, in a raucous road environment. The Vikings are 6-1 at US Bank Stadium this season and have outscored opponents by an average of 11.5 points in those victories.
The strength of the Vikings defense still lies in its overall aggressiveness. The Vikings rank second in the NFL with 27 takeaways. Fourth-year cornerback Camryn Bynum has seven of those.
The Vikings also boast the league’s second-ranked rush defense, allowing 87.2 yards per game. But that number has spiked this month with Minnesota gashed for a total of 312 rushing yards in wins over the Cardinals and Falcons.
Big number: 255
Passing attempts by Williams since his last interception. That streak extends back to the second quarter of Week 6 with Williams now owning the Bears franchise record and the NFL’s all-time rookie record for consecutive pass attempts without a pick.
Williams has thrown for 1,556 yards and 11 touchdowns since his last interception, which came in the first half of the team’s 35-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 13.
Interim coach Thomas Brown was asked Thursday about that achievement and offered a thumbs-up approval.
“He’s not playing scared,” Brown said. “He’s ripping some footballs into tight windows. I think it’s probably even more impressive (because of that). It’s not like he’s sitting back there not taking an opportunity or taking chances down the field.
“We always talk about trying to find ways to be aggressive but not reckless. There is a fine line between the two. And I think his progression when it comes to understanding the offense operation-wise but also just letting it rip has been positive for us.”
Final word
Vikings receiver Jordan Addison is on a real hot streak, erupting for 133 yards and three touchdowns in his team’s 42-21 blowout of the Atlanta Falcons last weekend. Three Sundays earlier, Addison torched the Bears for eight catches, 162 yards and one score. That production hasn’t come as a surprise to Williams, who has firsthand knowledge of Addison’s explosiveness.
In 2022, Williams and Addison were teammates at USC. The Bears quarterback won the Heisman Trophy that season, throwing for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns. Addison was Williams’ top target, contributing 59 catches, 875 yards and eight TDs to that 11-win Trojans season. So what was it about Addison’s skill set that made him so quarterback-friendly?
“He’s not the largest human,” Williams said with a laugh Thursday. “But he still plays like he’s 6-5. He’ll go up and get the ball in traffic. And then it comes down to his detail with his routes. I think he’s — if not the best — one of the best I’ve played with for sure and in the league at route running and getting open.”
