The Bears beat the Saints on Sunday, but didn’t win because of Caleb Williams. They won despite him.

Caleb Williams turned in one of his roughest outings of the season in the 26–14 victory, completing just 15 of 26 passes for 168 yards, no touchdowns, and a first-quarter interception that set the tone for an uneven day through the air. It wasn’t disastrous — the Bears’ defense and run game carried the load — but it was a reminder that the young quarterback still has plenty to figure out.

The most glaring issue continues to be Williams’ accuracy. His completion percentage has dipped below 60% in three straight games, dragging his season mark down to 61.1% — bottom-third among qualifying quarterbacks and far from the 70% goal Ben Johnson laid out when camp opened.

The problem isn’t one thing. Johnson admitted this week that the passing game needs to get sharper — routes, protection, play design, and execution. But the bigger issue might be rhythm. For long stretches on Sunday, Williams looked out of sync, drifting in the pocket, passing up open underneath throws, and spinning out of structure in search of big plays that weren’t there.

Williams insists he’ll learn from it. “I’m going to figure this out,” he said postgame. And he has to, because Chicago’s defense can mask his growing pains for only so long, and the schedule isn’t easing up. The Bears travel to Baltimore next — a team that, despite its 1-5 record, still has the defensive speed and discipline to punish a quarterback who’s a beat late. Sunday’s tape showed both how far Williams has come — and how far he still has to go — in mastering the details that separate potential from production.

Let’s dive into some of Williams’ Week 7 performance.

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