For the record, this type of headline really isn’t my bag.
But this Cale🅠b Williams stat legitimately blew my mind. Hence, I found it worthy enough to go🌄 there with this type of headline.
From at The Athletic, which features the USC✃ quarterback going to the Chicago Bears with the No. 1 pick:
On third downs the past two seasons, his touchdown-to-interception ratio was 16-to-0. His TD-to-INT ratio in the red zone during t🤡hat spღan: 46-to-1.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Re-🅺read it if you need to do so in order to fully comprehend those numbers.
On third down, football’s money down, Caleb Williams put up a 16-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That is bonkers. As is the 46-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio on red zone throws in that same time span. Excuse me. I think I need a minute to get a fuller grasp on what I read (and 💫wrote).
Caleb Williams was awesome when it mattered most
It boggles the mind how ridiculously awesome Williams’ numbers have been in what were his two most high-pressure seasons as a collegiate athlete. To put up those numbers in a Heisman Trophy-winning campaign in 2022 and a follow-up season where all eyes are on you is truly impressive stuff.
Let me offer up this caveat before I start this next graf: I’m not sharing the following to pit Team Caleb vs. Team Justin folks against each other. Instead, I’m writing it to give this situation some additional perspective. OK, here goes nothing. Justin Fields put up a 73.8 passer rating, 58.0% completion percentage, and a 16-16 touchdown-to-interception ratio on third down as a member of the Chicago Bears. Last year, Fields posted an 83.7 passer rating, 59.3% completion rate, and 8-5 TD-INT ration. In his best season, 2022, Fields’ third-down passer rating was 88.0 with a 61.9% completion rate, and 7-5 TD-INT ratio.
CHECK IT OUT: It Sounds Like Caleb Williams Left a Strong Impression on t🐻he Bears After Meeting With Team Executives an𝔉d Future Teammates
To be clear, I realize that Fields was playing in the pros while Williams was in college. And I understand that the offensive talent around Fields wasn’t always ideal. Plus, I fully comprehend that the offensive play calling didn’t do him any favors. With that being said, the results were still underwhelming on third down passes. This isn’t to say Fields can’t perform better in those third-down situations. He can. And I’d bet on him to improve on those career marks when he gets an extended opportunity. But I can also see the stats being used as a reason the Bears moved on from Fields earlier in the offseason.
If you have made it this far, then you should add at The Athletic to your reading list today. There are nuggets, tidbits, factoids, insights, and other interesting things from Feldman and sources he connected with to share stuff about prospects who will get their names called on draft weekend. You might even find yourself digging into who lands in Chicago with the team’s other top-10 pick.
We’ll know who the Bears’ first-round picks will be three weeks from now. Our time is coming soon!
