It’s important that quarterbacks and head coaches are on the same page in the NFL and the duo in Chicago is in lockstep when it comes to Caleb Williams’ readiness for his first postseason action.
While Williams has not seen playoff action, head coach Ben Johnson said he has “played in a lot of big games over the course of his life” and that he has played his best football when the Bears needed it the most this season. That led Johnson to say Williams is “built for these moments” and Williams reached for the same phrase while discussing how prepared he is for the Packers on Saturday.
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“I think I am built for these moments, mentality-wise, how I’ve worked,” Williams said, via the team’s website. “I’ve been in a bunch of big games before and a bunch of big rival games. In those moments, I think I can provide a spark for the team. I think I can do whatever my team needs me to do, whether that’s stand in the pocket, whether that’s run, whether that’s scramble, whether that’s whatever, hand the ball off 30 times and be energetic about it. Whatever it takes is where I’m at, where I’m going to be at for these next couple of weeks hopefully.”
One of Williams’ biggest games came on a Saturday night against the Packers in Week 16. He led the Bears on back-to-back scoring drives to tie the game in the fourth quarter and then threw a game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver DJ Moore in overtime for a 22-16 win that helped nail down the NFC North. It was one of six wins the Bears pulled out in the final minutes this season.
Johnson might prefer something less dramatic this weekend, but knowing Williams can come through in those moments is a good feeling to have when you’re embarking on a playoff journey.
