- A marked step forward for Caleb Williams and the Bears: Williams delivered his highest passing grade of the season (72.4) and wasn’t sacked for the first time in his career.
- Ben Johnson’s system is clicking in Chicago: The former first overall pick has already logged 31 under-center dropbacks, nearly a third of his total from all of last season.
- Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool.
Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
Caleb Williams and the Bears notched their first win Sunday with a dominant offensive showing, offering a glimpse of what’s possible when Williams has time to operate in Ben Johnson’s system. It was the kind of performance Chicago needed to calm nerves and restore confidence.
| Team-level metric | Bears rank | |
| Average yards per play | 6.8 | 3rd |
| Expected Points Added (EPA) per play | 0.212 | 4th |
| Conversion Rate | 33.30% | 8th |
| Yards Per Pass Attempt | 10.3 | 2nd |
| EPA Per Pass | 0.606 | 2nd |
| Explosive Pass Rate | 17.20% | 7th |
| Total Pressures Allowed | 9 | 4th |
Caleb Williams earned a 72.4 passing grade in Sunday’s win, the highest of his season so far and the fifth-best mark of his career. Just as encouraging for the Bears: he was pressured on only eight dropbacks and wasn’t sacked for the first time in his NFL career.
Williams continues to thrive when kept clean. His 90.5 overall grade from a clean pocket ranks sixth in the league, but that number drops to 51.0 under pressure, 23rd among quarterbacks. Performance from a clean pocket is one of the most stable metrics PFF tracks, making Williams’ early-season success in that area a strong indicator of future growth.
| Season | Week | Opp | Overall Grade | Passing Grade |
| 2024 | Wk. 6 | vs Jaguars | 87.9 | 82.8 |
| 2024 | Wk. 11 | vs Packers | 85.2 | 80.4 |
| 2024 | Wk. 16 | vs Lions | 83.1 | 79.5 |
| 2025 | Wk. 1 | vs Vikings | 77.1 | 67.9 |
| 2025 | Wk. 3 | vs Cowboys | 76.8 | 72.4 |
| 2024 | Wk. 12 | vs Vikings | 76.3 | 75.4 |
| 2024 | Wk. 5 | vs Panthers | 72 | 66.6 |
| 2024 | Wk. 4 | vs Rams | 68 | 65.1 |
| 2025 | Wk. 2 | @ Lions | 67.2 | 64 |
| 2024 | Wk. 13 | @ Lions | 62.4 | 58.7 |
A key element of Ben Johnson’s offense is play-action passing from under center—a foundational staple of his system. Caleb Williams is already embracing that shift, logging 31 dropbacks from under center through three games — nearly a third of his total from all of last season.
Tight end falls down on the route and it still doesn't matter. Good ball placement from Caleb pic.twitter.com/x1g8TkV7NJ
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) September 23, 2025
In the play above, the Bears run a flood concept out of an initial three-tight end set, forcing the defense to match a deep corner route from a tight end with a linebacker — typically a mismatch that favors the offense.
Although the tight end is bumped off his route, Caleb Williams quickly diagnoses the coverage. With the corner and safety occupied by the deep route and the flat defender tied up underneath, Williams confidently makes the throw. His ball placement is perfect, allowing Colston Loveland to turn upfield for additional yardage and a big gain.
Another hallmark of Ben Johnson’s offense is its creative play-calling, including frequent trick plays. We saw it often in Detroit, and he’s already shown he’s not afraid to dial them up in Chicago.
Just an unreal amount of arm strength to make this throw pic.twitter.com/4DigP4N2tk
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) September 23, 2025
There’s not much nuance to this one — it's all arm strength. The timing of the play is thrown off by a flip back to Caleb Williams from the running back, but it doesn’t matter when your quarterback can launch a ball nearly 60 yards with just a subtle step up in the pocket. Williams lets it rip, and Luther Burden barely breaks stride to haul it in. Arm strength and natural arm talent have always defined Williams’ game, and he's never hesitant to show it.
That aggressiveness pairs perfectly with Ben Johnson’s system, which thrives on attacking the middle of the field. No team threw over the middle more than the Lions last season, and Chicago is already adopting the same approach to stretch defenses and maximize Williams’ skill set.
Layered middle of the field throw, that's the good stuff. pic.twitter.com/tBSglcvfPA
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) September 23, 2025
This was my favorite throw from Caleb Williams on Sunday because of everything it demanded — timing, patience and precision.
With 43 seconds left in the half, Williams had two safe options in the flat that would’ve helped set up a better field goal attempt. Instead, he bypassed both and layered a perfect throw 25-plus yards downfield.
Against a Cover 3 look, the post is typically covered, but Williams stays composed. As soon as the safety and linebacker bite just slightly on the hitch underneath, he fires the ball in behind them with impeccable timing.
The 2025 Bears season hinges on the relationship between Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. While the pairing didn’t explode out of the gate, the underlying numbers suggested it was only a matter of time. On Sunday, that potential was realized.
Outside of a few minor accuracy issues, Williams was decisive, in rhythm and consistently making the right reads — exactly what Bears fans should be hoping to see.
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.