Many NFL fans might think it's common sense for a quarterback to be efficient at throwing the football past the sticks. That's true as it's part of their job, but Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams might be just as good at it, if not better than any other signal caller at it in 2025.
Pro Football Focus shared the data behind Williams and how well he does when throwing it past the sticks. He has a grade of 90.5 in those situations. Williams has gained 449 yards and six touchdowns to zero interceptions this season. Adding in a 70.6% adjusted completion rate on top of that, and the Bears have a stellar quarterback leading them.
When examining PFF's overall grade for Williams, he got a 78.1, which is good for 12th in the NFL. They also ranked Williams third in average time to throw with 3.23 seconds and sixth in "big-time throws" with six of them.
Williams is treading for a spectacular sophomore season in the NFL
It's been a great season for Williams, who is off to a great start to the 2025 campaign. He's second in the NFL in touchdown passes with seven and has just one interception. Williams is pacing to be the first Bears quarterback in franchise history to throw for over 4,000 yards.
Stats are great to look at, but the eye test also reveals a significantly different Williams in 2025 compared to 2024. There's more confidence in the pocket, quicker decisions are being made, and overall, better decisions are being made. He's rarely putting the Bears' offense in bad positions.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson deserves a ton of credit for what he has done to get Williams ready. From coaching him hard to getting him under center, Johnson has hit all the right notes in making Williams a much more successful quarterback.
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It might be premature to get too excited about Williams, but it's hard not to after the way he has played on the field.