After coming off a Week 1 performance throwing for 269 yards, two passing touchdowns, 65 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, with a 72.4% completion percentage, it’s hard not to be afraid to face off against Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.
Williams, who’s now in the second year of Ben Johnson’s prolific offensive scheme, looks poised to take that next step in becoming one of the league’s top quarterbacks and is now faced with going up against one of the more exotic defenses in the NFL with the Brian Flores-led Minnesota Vikings defense.
But as much as the defense has proven to give quarterbacks problems since Flores took over as the team’s defensive coordinator, Vikings defender Josh Metellus had an admission about preparing to face Williams in Week 2.
Josh Metellus Makes Admission on Bears QB Caleb Williams
Speaking with the Vikings media, Josh Metellus talked about how the defense is ‘trying their best’ in practice to prepare for Caleb Williams, but admits that “nothing can really simulate that feeling of being one-on-one with 18.”
“We kinda got everybody, you know, trying their best,” Metellus said. “We got some good mobile guys … whatever we can. I’ve seen the linebackers; they go out there with each other, and they pretend to be Caleb against each other, trying to get a different kind of body. You try to do whatever you can, but nothing can really simulate that feeling of being one-on-one with 18 and just not knowing where he’s gonna go. As much as we can we’re trying to simulate it, but it’s hard.”
Williams’ ability to be elusive gives the Bears offense a lot more flexibility with their play calls than most NFL teams. And that’s high praise from Metellus that quarterbacks often don’t get from opposing defenders.
In fact, just this week, Tennessee Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons did the opposite of praise the quarterback he’s going up against in Week 2 in Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.
He said, “We just need to make Jalen Hurts play QB. Stop his runs, make sure Hurts doesn’t get out of the pocket and make plays.”
Another Vikings Defender Praised Williams
It wasn’t just Josh Metellus who was giving Caleb Williams his flowers.
Vikings pass rusher Dallas Turner admitted that Williams is one of the hardest quarterbacks to tackle, saying, “He might be the hardest to tackle if you ask me. I feel like he doesn’t want to get shot, you know, his shoulders and the escapability and everything like that, but you know, definitely I respect the quarterback with his arm and his legs.”
In four career games against the Vikings, Williams has a passer rating of 88.1, 934 yards (233.5 average), and four touchdowns with zero interceptions.
The Vikings have managed to sack him nine times in those four games despite a few defenders calling him elusive, so let’s see whether Williams can finish the game with a good stat line, zero sacks taken, and a win.
Vikings Defender Makes Admission on Bears’ Caleb Williams Before Game