Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams: "I Needed to Give Cole Kmet a Better Ball" on Game-Sealing Interception
In a turning point play with 27 seconds left in the game, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams left a ball that could have been thrown into the end zone short, resulting in an interception. The pass was intended for tight end Cole Kmet, who had run the same route he turned into a touchdown in Philadelphia two weeks ago.
The Packers' defense had fallen for the fake, with three defenders crashing toward the line of scrimmage and eyeing running back D'Andre Swift in the left flat. By the time Kmet's route reached the 2-yard line, the closest defender, cornerback Keisean Nixon, was four yards behind him.
"I thought I was pretty open," Kmet said. "There's a million other things going on that Caleb's gotta dissect in front of him. A tough way to end it, obviously."
When asked about the play, Williams acknowledged that he needed to give Kmet a better ball. "In those moments, you want to put the ball in play and trust your guy or try to have your guy make a play," Williams said. "Just gotta give him a better ball."
The interception prevented Williams from notching his sixth fourth-quarter comeback and knocked the Bears from the top seed in the NFC to the last team in the playoffs if the season ended today.
Williams had been struggling with consistency, particularly in the first half of the game. However, he rebounded with 13 of 21 completions for two touchdowns and a 96.1 passer rating after halftime. Williams credited a quick halftime reset that reminded him and his teammates to focus on the details as key to their comeback.
"We had a lot of options there," coach Ben Johnson said. "It's not always going to work in our favor."
The loss marked Williams' second straight game where he struggled with the basics, raising concerns about his ability to lead the Bears through the postseason. To make noise in the playoffs, Williams will need to be more consistent and steady.
"We can't afford for him to turn in another dud of a half," Johnson said. "I need to start faster; we need to start faster."
The Packers' 28-21 victory marked their first win over the Bears this season. The loss dropped the Bears to 9-4, securing them a wild card spot in the playoffs but leaving them tied for third place with the Eagles and Vikings.
Williams' struggles with consistency will be closely watched as the Bears prepare for the postseason. Can he regain his form and lead the team deep into the playoffs? Only time will tell.
In a turning point play with 27 seconds left in the game, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams left a ball that could have been thrown into the end zone short, resulting in an interception. The pass was intended for tight end Cole Kmet, who had run the same route he turned into a touchdown in Philadelphia two weeks ago.
The Packers' defense had fallen for the fake, with three defenders crashing toward the line of scrimmage and eyeing running back D'Andre Swift in the left flat. By the time Kmet's route reached the 2-yard line, the closest defender, cornerback Keisean Nixon, was four yards behind him.
"I thought I was pretty open," Kmet said. "There's a million other things going on that Caleb's gotta dissect in front of him. A tough way to end it, obviously."
When asked about the play, Williams acknowledged that he needed to give Kmet a better ball. "In those moments, you want to put the ball in play and trust your guy or try to have your guy make a play," Williams said. "Just gotta give him a better ball."
The interception prevented Williams from notching his sixth fourth-quarter comeback and knocked the Bears from the top seed in the NFC to the last team in the playoffs if the season ended today.
Williams had been struggling with consistency, particularly in the first half of the game. However, he rebounded with 13 of 21 completions for two touchdowns and a 96.1 passer rating after halftime. Williams credited a quick halftime reset that reminded him and his teammates to focus on the details as key to their comeback.
"We had a lot of options there," coach Ben Johnson said. "It's not always going to work in our favor."
The loss marked Williams' second straight game where he struggled with the basics, raising concerns about his ability to lead the Bears through the postseason. To make noise in the playoffs, Williams will need to be more consistent and steady.
"We can't afford for him to turn in another dud of a half," Johnson said. "I need to start faster; we need to start faster."
The Packers' 28-21 victory marked their first win over the Bears this season. The loss dropped the Bears to 9-4, securing them a wild card spot in the playoffs but leaving them tied for third place with the Eagles and Vikings.
Williams' struggles with consistency will be closely watched as the Bears prepare for the postseason. Can he regain his form and lead the team deep into the playoffs? Only time will tell.
I mean, like, that play was so close, you know? 
Caleb Williams just needed to give Cole Kmet a better ball, right? 
Like, a million things were going on at once and it's tough for him to dissect all the action in those moments. 
And now the Bears are kinda stuck, wondering if they can get back on track and lead them through the playoffs... 
. He needs to trust his guys more and not put too much pressure on them 
. The Packers' defense was pretty smart, too... they read the fake route easy 
. I hope Williams can get back on track, though - he's got some big games ahead of him 
. I mean, come on, a guy who can throw a game-sealing interception and then act like it wasn't his fault? Not impressed 
. The coaches are right, they need him to be more consistent, especially in the big games 
. It's not just about making plays, it's about knowing what you're gonna do in those clutch situations 
. And yeah, Cole Kmet is still gonna get his chances, but Williams needs to step up and deliver 
. Coach Ben Johnson's got some work to do, too 
. Can Williams regain his form and lead the team deep into the postseason? Only time will tell, but I'm rooting for him, bruh 
, it's like he can't even trust his own guys to make plays 
Ben Johnson said "we had a lot of options" but like, Caleb needs to throw the ball in the end zone instead of short 
like i get it, the guy's human too and makes mistakes. but 2 straight games where he just throws it short and it's game over... 
he's got the talent to be top dog, but gotta stay focused and accurate, you know? 
. and on a more positive note, coach ben johnson's been right all along, they gotta focus on the details and trust their guys, it's not rocket science 
. what's worrying me is will caleb be able to bounce back from this inconsistency, can he regain his form and lead the bears deep into the playoffs?
Caleb needs 2 give Cole a better ball period 
cant keep slippin away from da playoffs cuz of his own doinz 
.
! I mean, that pass to Kmet was so close, but not quite there 
. It's like he tried to make too many reads at once and lost sight of his primary target 
.
. Fingers crossed Williams gets it together come postseason time 
!