How Bears’ Caleb Williams engineered comeback playoff win over Packers

CHICAGO – Caleb Williams’ first-half stats were, well, not good. The Bears quarterback had a 47% completion rate, 4.5 yards per attempt, an interception and a 35.9 passer rating.

Now let’s flip the game book from Saturday’s NFC wild-card round playoff between Chicago and Green Bay to the final stats.

Williams finished with a 50% completion rate, 7.5 yards per attempt, two touchdowns (plus a pick) and passer rating that more than doubled.

A switch must’ve flipped in that second half. Something spectacular must’ve happened. It most certainly did.

The defense held strong while Williams went off, allowing the Bears to erase a three-score halftime deficit and emerge with a 31-27 victory over the rival Packers at Soldier Field.

[READ: Bears 31, Packers 27: Three observations in Chicago’s NFL playoff win]

“As always, Caleb came through for us,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “He made some big time throws in some critical situations. Guys made some big catches. Guys up front protecting. I mean, you get in the spot where you’re down a little bit and you know you got to throw it a little bit more and you need the big guys to bow up and give us a clean pocket, and it took the entire offense to get that job done.”

Johnson is right to point out that it takes a village to complete such a comeback. It took everybody to complete the largest postseason comeback in Bears history.

Williams is at the center of all of it. When he struggles, the Bears struggle. When he’s exceptional, the Bears are tough to beat.

The second-year pro reached that level at this game’s end, engineering three consecutive touchdown drives in the game’s final 12-and-a-half minutes. He did all that on a bum ankle and after being a net negative in the first half.

[READ: NFL playoff schedule: Bears to host Eagles or Rams in divisional round]

“I do love seeing Caleb getting that rhythm and that confidence up,” Johnson said. “The more opportunities he has normally the more explosive we become on offense as well. So, it was just one of those things I think he just started feeling it there in the fourth quarter and made some big plays for us.”

Williams made some plays Saturday night that will live on in Bears lore. We’ll mention two.

The first: Michael Jordan throw to Rome.

D’Andre Swift scored a touchdown from six yards out to make it a one score game. The Packers negated it on the following drive, eating precious time while reestablishing a two-score lead.

The Bears worked downfield but the drive stalled, facing a fourth-and-8 approaching midfield. Caleb rolled to his right as pressure bore down, and he jumped to his right to avoid it. He threw the ball downfield in midair to Rome Odunze for a 27-yard gain that you must see to believe.

“Special. He was, like, floating on that one throw to Rome,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “When he hit that, we all thought, ‘we’re winning this game.’”

The Bears had more work to do. Williams hit Olamide Zaccheaus on a touchdown pass five plays later and zipped a 2-point conversion to Colston Loveland.

The Packers missed a field goal on the ensuing drive, setting Williams for a curtain call. He connected with Swift and Loveland to approach scoring position. That’s when he launched another immortal throw.

The second: DJ beats the Pack: Part II

It wasn’t as unreal as the walkoff 46-yarder to beat Green Bay in overtime on Dec. 20, but Moore won quickly and Williams put just enough arc on it to make it a sure completion.

“DJ  in the end,” Williams said. “High pressure moment makes a great catch.”

Williams thrives in high pressure moments, has we’ve seen throughout his seven game-winning drives this season between regular season and playoffs. Saturday night’s effort, against a rival, was his crowning achievement to this point.

“He’s a dynamic, special player,” Kmet said. “It was awesome for him to show that on the national stage.”

Williams mindset in those moments is simple, fueled by a confidence in his team, his head coach and his own ability.

“The only option we had was to go out there and be legendary, go out there and execute, and go out there and do our part on the offensive side, defensive side, and special teams,” Williams said. “Have each other’s back. Go win the F’ing game.”

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