Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown says Caleb Williams is playing with ‘no fear at all’

LAKE FOREST – Caleb Williams had football fans raising their collective eyebrows Sunday.

The Chicago Bears rookie quarterback made some impressive throws during an overtime loss against the Minnesota Vikings. Williams threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns without turning the ball over. It was his first 300-yard passing game since Oct. 6.

It certainly caught the attention of his new offensive coordinator, Thomas Brown.

“He had no fear at all, which is the way we want to have him play,” Brown said Tuesday at Halas Hall. “I think about being aggressive and taking calculated risks, so aggressive is not being reckless. It’s two different things.”

Williams tested that fine line between aggressive and reckless against the Vikings. He threaded the needle with some of his throws Sunday. Two of his best throws of the day – both with Keenan Allen on the receiving end – narrowly made it through rapidly closing throwing lanes.

The Bears, of course, didn’t win the game, but Williams led the offense to an 11-point comeback in the final two minutes (with the help of a successful onside kick). A 12-yard sack in overtime probably cost the Bears the game, but Sunday’s game was still an impressive effort from the first overall draft pick.

“You get drafted No. 1 overall to make those big plays,” Brown said. “When it comes to end of the game, end of the [second] half, he’s delivered. In a big way, which I think sometimes goes unnoticed because of the result, which I get. But that’s a rookie quarterback who, in my opinion, hasn’t even scratched the surface of how good he can be.”

Brown and Williams are vibing right now. The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron two weeks ago and elevated Brown to run the offense.

Since Brown took over, the offense has fared much better against two tough defenses in the Packers and the Vikings. The Bears easily could’ve won either game (or both). Williams seemed to have no trouble against Minnesota’s blitz-crazy defense. He credited Brown with bringing a positive vibe to the offense.

Williams complimented his coach’s “aura” during his postgame news conference.

On Tuesday at Halas Hall, Brown thanked Williams for the compliment. The 38-year-old coach said being the father of three boys with distinct personalities has made him a better coach because he knows he has to try different communication tactics with different players.

“It’s about still being my authentic self, but also how to deliver a message,” Brown said. “I’m never going to lie to you. I’m going to tell you the truth, but how I deliver it is based on what brings the best out of you.”

Brown has been through this before. He was the offensive coordinator in Carolina last year with No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young at quarterback. Brown understands the scrutiny that comes with being the top draft pick.

He also understands the pressure. Brown said he texted Williams after the Vikings game to remind him not to be too hard on himself.

He plays a spot where everybody is going to be hard on him. So you don’t have to continue to punch yourself in the face. You have to give yourself some grace.”

—  Thomas Brown, Bears offensive coordinator

“He plays a spot where everybody is going to be hard on him,” Brown said. “So you don’t have to continue to punch yourself in the face. You have to give yourself some grace and move on and get better.”

Williams has played well in back-to-back games against tough NFC North opponents. But what would be most impressive would be a dazzling performance Thursday against the Detroit Lions, who sport the NFC’s best record at 10-1. The entire football world will be watching on Thanksgiving Day.

This will be Williams’ first NFL game that hasn’t been on a Sunday. The Bears have yet to play on a Thursday or a Monday. That means a change in routine.

“There’s a little less me time, so you’ve got to focus on your sleep, recovery,” Williams said. “Most important thing, especially in a week like this, is sleep. Sleep, hydration and eating right and eating well to be able to recover after a tough game that we just had.”