Caleb Williams grew up watching Matthew Stafford while he was the quarterback for the Detroit Lions.
The NFC Divisional playoff game at Soldier Field will be the second time the two will face each other. Williams won that first matchup, 24-20, at home, but this second installment against Stafford, 37, will require Williams and the entire Bears team to play at its best to complete the upset.
For Williams, 24, there is plenty that stands out with how Stafford plays the quarterback position.
“He's at the top of the game right now at his age and things like that,” Williams said. “And so, that's something you can learn from. And then, also, just how he plays the game, you drop back, and he has what everybody calls ‘snake eyes’ and things like that. And just knowing defenses, knowing the offense, and being able to move people where you want to move them is something he's been able to do very well. Trusting and believing his guys will be in the right position at the right time. And so, learning from that is big.”
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For those wondering what “snake eyes " are, it’s the ability to move a defender out of position “without actually having anybody near or around him,” as Williams put it.
Stafford is in his 17th NFL season, his fifth with the Rams, so he clearly developed and mastered the subtle nuances of the quarterback position. It’s not just Stafford’s eyes that stand out to Williams, but also his footwork.
“His feet are always under him,” Williams said. “He can make any throw at any time. The guy is in his face, a lineman may be getting pushed back, not looking, all these different things. And it comes down to his feet. He ties the routes with his receivers, the timing, and all of that with his feet, and obviously has a cannon. And so, being able to be able to watch him over the years and also last year to this year in person, it's going to be fun and enjoyable.”
Footwork has been a huge emphasis for Williams this entire season with first-year head coach Ben Johnson. Williams’ focus will not be on Stafford’s footwork during the playoff game, but he is a good example for the Bears’ quarterback to study in the offseason.
Johnson was asked during his press conference if he had connected Williams with Stafford to help the Bears’ quarterback gain insight from the veteran, but Johnson mentioned he hadn’t done that.
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Like Williams, though, Johnson has nothing but respect for one of the most productive players ever to play quarterback.