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The Chicago Bears have come out of the darkness this season, going from a last-place team to the NFC North champion. After years of backsliding, poor choices and failing to make plays when the game is on the line, first-year head coach Ben Johnson put that brutal past behind the team and drove the Bears towards significant improvement and professionalism. He has coached quarterback Caleb Williams to play at a high level and perform at his best when the game is on the line.
The Detroit Lions are one of the most disappointing teams in the league. They were a powerhouse offensive team in each of the past two years and they were co-favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl when the season kicked off. However, head coach Dan Campbell’s team made multiple mistakes along the way and has fallen apart in recent weeks. The 8-8 Lions have fallen into last place in the NFC North — the division were expected to own.
The Bears (11-5) are playing in Week 18 to hold on to the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff structure. They have the same record as the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles, but the Bears have the tiebreaker edge because they beat the defending Super Bowl champions head to head. The Eagles have a relatively easy game at home against the Washington Commanders, so the Bears need to beat the Lions if they are going to keep their position.
The No. 2 seed in the NFC will play the Green Bay Packers — locked into the No. 7 seed — in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Williams has had an impressive season in his second year in the league. He was overmatched at times as a rookie, regularly showing off his athletic skills but making mistakes in crucial situations. Williams has come through when the game is on the line this season, and much of that is due to the coaching he has received from Johnson.
The coach was hard and demanding of the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft and pointed out poor technique and mistakes throughout training camp and the early part of the season. Williams has responded very well to that coaching and he has produced on a consistent basis.
The Bears dropped their Week 17 game to the streaking San Francisco 49ers. However, Williams went punch for punch with Niners QB Brock Purdy in the 42-38 defeat. He completed 25 of 42 passes for 330 yards with 2 TDs and no interceptions. Williams has completed 310 of 535 passes for 3,730 yards with a stellar 25-6 TD-interception ratio this season.
In addition to his passing, Williams has demonstrated impressive ability to make plays with his legs. He has rushed for 387 yards and averaged 5.09 yards per attempt while scoring 3 TDs. In addition to his stats, he can get away from the pass rush,...
