Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams didn’t hold back when talking about his first experience playing against Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby.
In Week 4’s narrow victory, Williams got to experience firsthand exactly why Crosby has built a reputation as one of the NFL’s most disruptive and relentless pass rushers. The imposing All-Pro recorded four pressures, five solo tackles, three tackles for loss, one quarterback hit and three pass deflections, one of which he caught for a pick.
Afterward, Williams couldn’t help but pay respect to Crosby’s standout performance.
“They’ve got a helluva player over there,” Williams told reporters in Sunday’s postgame. “He’s probably the best player that I’ve ever played against so far in my career.
“As I said, they’ve got a helluva player. Understanding that coming into the game, I tried to get the ball out as fast as possible and get it to my guys. I think I can do a better job of that early in the game, getting everybody in rhythm. … We got some guys in there that, it’s their first time playing and suiting up, especially versus a guy like that, and they did a helluva job. I’m proud of the guys, especially the way we fought. That’s all you can ask for at the end of the day.”
Maxx Crosby Feasted on Bears Despite Chicago’s Win
Crosby’s raw production numbers against the Bears on Sunday are impressive enough on their own. But in the context of the game, he played even better than most realize.
Crosby seemed single-handedly responsible for containing the Bears to three points over their first four drives, badgering Williams and blowing up their run game. He forced a turnover that allowed the Raiders to score their first touchdown. He also beat left tackle Braxton Jones so badly in their one-on-ones that the Bears benched him.
That’s pure dominance.
Fortunately for the Bears, the changes to their offensive line — moving Theo Benedet to left tackle and inserting second-round rookie Ozzy Trapilo at right tackle — worked, for the most part. They scored 13 points across three of their first four drives to start the second half and managed to keep Crosby from sacking Williams, despite his menace.
Even if it wasn’t pretty, the Bears deserve praise for getting out alive with the win.
Will Bears’ OT Positions Look Different After Bye?
The Bears will have a chance to rest and recalibrate on their bye over the next week. After benching Jones and baptizing Benedet and Trapilo by fire against the Raiders, though, there are questions about how the offensive line will look when they emerge.
Bears head coach Ben Johnson told reporters in Sunday’s postgame that he turned to Trapilo to make his NFL debut against the Raiders because he had sought a “spark” for their stagnating offense. While the rookie had his growing pains, he also played quality snaps for a first-timer asked to hold back one of the league’s best edge rushers.
Whether Trapilo stays in the lineup, though, could depend on the health of starting right tackle Darnell Wright, who is nursing an elbow injury that held him out against the Raiders in Week 4. The Bears have not given a clear timeline on when they expect Wright to return, but the bye week could help him get right in time for Week 6.
Once Wright is back, the Bears will have a decision to make between Jones and Benedet — and maybe Trapilo. Jones has the most experience covering the blindside, but he has not looked the same since returning from 2024’s season-ending ankle injury. Benedet has also gradually seemed to earn the trust of the staff, even more so after Sunday’s win.
The Bears (2-2) won’t need to make a formal decision until they kick off against the Washington Commanders (2-2) for their next game on October 13, but they will likely offer their first clues about their starting alignment during next week’s first practice.
Caleb Williams Gets Honest About Maxx Crosby After Bears Win