Caleb Williams leads Bears by Falcons in return from injury
Williams completed his first 12 passes and threw for 305 yards as the Bears beat the Falcons 31-23 in his first game back from a hamstring injury.
Why Caleb Williams is trending
Caleb Williams is trending because he came back from a three week absence and threw the Chicago Bears past the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, going 30 of 36 for 305 yards and a touchdown. Williams had been out since suffering a hamstring injury on Sept. 20, and there was no sign of it Sunday.
He completed his first 12 passes, the most to open a game at any point in his career, and the Bears jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on back to back touchdown drives. Williams left the field after the win pumping his fist and shouting to the crowd, then walked into the locker room with one of two game balls.
How the game went
Chicago's fast start carried the rest of the afternoon. The Bears went 9 of 17 on third down, which let the offense stay on schedule and hold the ball for 40:08. Coming into Week 6 with the league's worst red zone scoring rate at 42.86%, Chicago turned it around and scored on all four of its red zone trips Sunday.
Williams took four sacks but said afterward his body felt great. Coach Ben Johnson said he did not even realize Williams had completed his first 12 passes until someone pointed it out, and credited the fast start across all three phases to a plan the staff had talked through the night before a game against a team he called dangerous on both sides of the ball.
Williams on his return
Williams said he felt confident from the start. "I felt confident from the jump," he said, adding that once he got on the field he trusted his leg, himself and his offensive line to let the plays come.
Asked about taking contact again after three weeks of rehab, Williams said, "Felt great to get hit after three weeks of just rehabbing." He said he feels strong and good, but that taking care of his body will be a weekly process going forward.
After the game, in the tunnel, Williams turned to reporters waiting outside the locker room and asked with a smile, "Y'all like that?"
What's next for the Bears
Chicago is now 4-2 and faces a short week, with the New England Patriots coming to town on Thursday. Williams said he will prioritize treatment and recovery amid the quick turnaround, calling it a weekly routine of staying on top of his body rather than a one time fix.
For now, the Bears get to enjoy a complete performance from their quarterback and an offense that finally solved its red zone problems in the same week it got him back.
Facts per ESPN, ESPN box score. Opinion is the taproom's.