The Chicago Bears enjoyed the return of not only starting quarterback Caleb Williams, but also cornerback Kyler Gordon, who made his season debut after dealing with a soft-tissue injury since the offseason.
Williams finished the win against the Atlanta Falcons with 305 passing yards (30-36) with one touchdown and a 111.2 passer rating, while Gordon had three sacks, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles while becoming the first defensive back in the last 40 seasons to record 3+ sacks and multiple forced fumbles in the same game.
After the win, head coach Ben Johnson shared his thoughts on the two stars.
Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson Sends Message on Kyler Gordon
Kyler Gordon, who last played in the Bears’ playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams back in January, reminded everyone why he was handed a three-year, $40 million extension last offseason.
Here are Ben Johnson’s thoughts on Gordon’s season debut:
“He was ready to play. I talked with Kyler yesterday morning and said, ‘I think we want to activate you. Are you ready to go?’ And he said, ‘Absolutely,’ and he sure enough was. Huge spark there for us on defense. He’s so twitchy, hard to block as a blitzer, and tight in coverage. Those snaps that he had were huge ones for us today.”
Back in early October when everyone was doubting whether Gordon would return to form, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen had this to say about the Bears’ nickel corner.
“I’ve got extreme confidence in what he can do when he’s on the field, that’s never wavered.”
And if anyone is going to bring out the best in Gordon, it’s Allen. Which Bears fans saw on Sunday against the Falcons.
Caleb Williams Back With A Vengeance
As for Caleb Williams, you could see the swagger and confidence he was playing with despite missing three games due to a hamstring injury.
He said he was “super juiced up to be back out there,” and Ben Johnson added his thoughts on No. 18’s performance in Week 6.
“It’s the biggest injury layoff he’s ever had. He came in my office early in the week wanting to push it and see where he was at. He did a great job downloading the game plan, finding open guys, and delivering good football. Super proud of him.”
“Caleb Williams was a perfect 24/24 for 248 yards from a clean pocket in the Bears’ Week 6 win over the Falcons,” NFL’s Next Gen Stats posted on X. “His 24 attempts are the most without an incompletion from a clean pocket in a game since at least 2018.”
It’s great to have him back, and now the focus shifts to next week’s game at home against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night.
Bears’ Ben Johnson Sends Message on Kyler Gordon, Caleb Williams After Falcons Win