The play has been debated and assessed ad naseum, but the bottom line is Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams cost his team a chance to beat the Green Bay Packers in Week 14 with a late interception.
It wasn't so much about the decision to target Cole Kmet in the end zone as much as it was simply a less than ideal throw in a big moment. Williams did not have another realistic option, including taking off to run as he moved to his left.
Williams' immediate response to the interception probably didn't sit very well with a large segment of Bears' fans. But having a few more days to brew on something like that can lead to a better perspective, and a better use of words than might happen right after a game amid whatever frustration is still in play.
Caleb Williams' full response to INT vs. Packers is music to Bears' fans ears
Williams spoke to reporters at Halas Hall as the Bears begin to prepare for the Cleveland Browns in Week 15. Right off the bat, he was asked about his process to move on from a "game that ended that way."
After clarifying that the question was regarding the late interception against the Packers, Williams calmly responded.
"There’s not another moment, another player, another situation … In those moments, I feel like the ball should be in my hand,” Williams said. “That’s how I felt as a kid, that’s how I still feel today, that’s how I felt on Sunday in that moment."
"It kinda goes to the MJ quote....he missed how many game winners? You’re going to take those shots, and that’s the type of mindset I have that I’ll take those shots, and I’ll roll with the punches if I do miss. That’s what happened."
"You move on from it, and when that moment comes up again, I think nine times out of 10 that I’ll hit. That’s my mentality. That’s how I feel about it. Just got to give Cole a better ball in that moment, but other than that, roll with the punches if it doesn’t roll your way.”
A particular Michael Jordan quote probably comes to mind first when it comes to being willing to "take shots", but the quote Williams seemed to more directly refer to goes like this:
"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."
Williams is not flawless, with plenty of work to do to become a consistently accurate passer. But it has been a long time since the Bears have had a quarterback who combines raw talent with any accountability or "it" factor when handling failure in a prominent spot.
Read more: Ozzy Trapilo is asserting himself as the potential answer for the Bears at LT
Referring to Jordan will always play well with Chicago sports fans, so Williams nailed that element too.