Caleb Williams showed no rust whatsoever in his return from injury. The Chicago Bears quarterback completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown on October 18, powering the Bears to a 31-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in his first game back after missing three weeks with a hamstring injury.
Caleb Williams (Credits: ESPN)
Williams looked sharp from the opening snap, completing his first 12 passes for 142 yards. His very first drive ended with a 14-yard touchdown strike to tight end Colston Loveland — Williams rolled right and threw across his body, an immediate sign that his mobility was fully intact. “I felt confident from the jump,” Williams said afterward. “I just let it rip.”
A Record-Setting Return
The efficiency numbers were staggering. According to ESPN Insights, Williams went a perfect 26-for-26 for 255 yards when the Falcons failed to generate pressure — the most attempts without an incompletion since ESPN began tracking pressures in 2009. He finished with a 111.2 passer rating and did not throw an interception, marking just the third 300-yard, interception-free game of his career.
The touchdown to Loveland was also a career milestone: the 50th passing touchdown of Williams’ career, reached in only his 37th regular-season appearance. He became just the third quarterback in NFL history to reach 50 touchdown passes before throwing 15 interceptions, joining Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson in that exclusive club.
Bears Hold Off Falcons Rally
Chicago jumped out to a big lead and controlled the ball for over 40 minutes, with D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson combining for three rushing touchdowns. Atlanta rallied in the fourth quarter behind Michael Penix Jr.’s three touchdown passes, but cornerback Kyler Gordon — making his own season debut — forced a fumble to seal the win and finished with three sacks. The Bears improved to 4-2, but the quick turnaround brings a challenge: Chicago hosts the New England Patriots on Thursday, and Williams admitted keeping up treatment will be “a weekly thing.” For one Sunday, though, the rust was nowhere to be found.
Also Read: NFL Week 6 Inactives: Caleb Williams Expected to Play While Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson Ruled Out
Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
