Caleb Williams wasn’t getting wrapped up in any excitement about a possible matchup with Jayden Daniels or playing in his hometown.
The No. 1 overall draft pick is coming off Chicago’s bye week and wants to keep building on a series of strong performances as the Bears prepare to face the Washington Commanders on Sunday. That’s what he is focusing on.
“My job is to go win games on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays. That’s it,” he said Wednesday.
The matchup between the two quarterbacks picked first and second in this year’s draft is uncertain after Daniels hurt his ribs in a 40-7 win against the Carolina Panthers. He missed practice on Wednesday, raising questions about whether he will play this week.
Williams, who grew up in Maryland and Washington, hopes Daniels can play. Regardless, he believes they will have plenty of opportunities to face each other in the future.
“Obviously he’s on the same side, the NFC side, so I’ll be seeing him a good amount I would say,” Williams said. “We’ll see from this game and in the future. I think it’s going to be great for us and the battle between us is what y’all want to kind of talk about. But my job is to go out there and win the game for the Chicago Bears.”
With three straight wins and a 4-2 record, the Bears are coming out of their bye week looking to continue their momentum. Williams has been showing signs of being a franchise quarterback, and the offense seems to be improving after a rocky start, helping Chicago beat the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
This adds up to their best start since the 2020 team began 5-1 on their way to an 8-8 finish. If they defeat Washington (5-2), the Bears will achieve their first four-game winning streak since the 2018 NFC North championship season.
The teams the Bears have defeated, including Tennessee in the season opener, have a combined record of 6-20. Their losses came against Indianapolis (4-3) and Houston (5-2).
The Bears faced challenges in their first three games. After losing to Indianapolis in Week 3, some veteran players told offensive coordinator Shane Waldron they wanted more intense coaching. Receiver DJ Moore noted that there has been a clear change, especially during walk-throughs.
“Walk-throughs got real detailed,” he said. “If you’re not out there doing the right thing, it will be seen and we’re going to re-do it and that’s what really has been the difference right now.”
Williams has completed 60 of 81 passes for 687 yards over the last three games. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner has thrown seven touchdown passes and one interception during this time, compared to two touchdown passes and four interceptions in the first three games.
Williams performed especially well in easy wins against Carolina at Soldier Field and Jacksonville in London. In Chicago’s 35-16 win over the Jaguars, he passed for 226 yards and four touchdowns while also running for 56 yards.
He completed 23 out of 29 passes with a rating of 124.4, which was almost as high as his 126.2 rating in a 36-10 victory against Carolina the week before. Before this, the best rating by a Bears rookie since the AFL-NFL merger was Jim McMahon’s 121.1 against the Rams on December 26, 1982.
However, it’s not just his recent performances that have impressed the Bears. It’s also his attitude and ability to bond with his teammates since he joined the team.
“He’s a natural leader I would say, a guy who is easy to be friendly with,” six-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen said. “And it doesn’t matter that he’s a rookie. Most of the time it’s like, ‘Ahh, he’s a rookie I’m not really going to hang out with him like that.’ But he’s obviously different. Good guy.”
