Caleb Williams STRUGGLING?! What's REALLY Wrong With Ben Johnson's Offense?

## The Big Picture: Why Caleb Williams Is Not Yet Optimizing Ben Johnson’s Offense

Caleb Williams STRUGGLING?! What's REALLY Wrong Wi...

Caleb Williams, the Chicago Bears' prized quarterback, might be showing flashes of brilliance in his second year, but according to offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, there's still a climb ahead. Case in point: during that surprising Black Friday victory against the Eagles, Williams audibled out of a play called by Johnson himself. This wasn't just improvisation; it was a correction. Williams recognized a problem and fixed it, leading to a successful play. This little anecdote, revealed by Johnson himself, offers a peek behind the curtain, highlighting the ongoing development of both Williams and the entire passing game.

"I screwed up a play call and he made it right for me," Johnson readily admitted this week. Honesty is refreshing, isn't it? It shows a level of trust and understanding between the coach and his quarterback. But, while that moment was a positive, it also underscores a larger point: the Bears' passing offense, despite the 24-15 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champs, had its share of… let's just say "downright ugly" moments. And that's putting it kindly.

Johnson, ever the coach, is staying positive but realistic. "He's getting better each and every week in that regard of playing the quarterback position," Johnson said, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement. "It's all-hands-on-deck for us to clean up this passing game to make it more of a weapon." You can feel the urgency in his words. While the Bears are winning games, they're not necessarily winning *because* of the passing game. And that's a problem when you have a quarterback with the potential that Williams possesses.

The key seems to be getting Williams to fully grasp and execute Johnson's system. It's not just about making the spectacular throws; it's about consistently reading defenses, identifying vulnerabilities, and exploiting them within the framework of the offense. "Now you're looking to manipulate the defense a little bit more," Johnson explained earlier in the season. But according to him, this still remains a developmental area for Williams. It's one thing to audible out of a bad play; it's another to consistently put the team in the *best* play.

The victory over the Eagles was sweet, no doubt about it. But Johnson isn't letting the feel-good vibes cloud his judgment. "Everybody's got a role to play to get this pass game cleaned up," he stated plainly. "It's not where it needs to be. We're winning in spite of our passing game, not because of it. None of us are pleased with that right now." Strong words. But necessary, perhaps. The day after, he clarified, "I think when I made that comment yesterday, it is easily construed as I'm not happy with the quarterback. That's not the case whatsoever. He continues to get better each and every week, and I couldn't be more pleased with how he played last week and I know what the stats say. Throw those out the." It sounds like he wants everyone to know that he is not unhappy with his quarterback. It is going to be interesting to watch how the rest of the season plays out.