The Chicago Bears enjoyed the return of quarterback Caleb Williams, and now it’s up to New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel to try and stop him in Week 7.
Williams, who finished the day against the Atlanta Falcons throwing 30 of 36 for 305 passing yards and one touchdown, and currently leads the NFL in completion percentage (72.5%).
“He did a great job downloading the game plan, finding open guys, and delivering good football,” head coach Ben Johnson said after the game. “Super proud of him.”
Now, Williams will have to face a hot 4-2 Patriots team that’s looking to build off their Week 6 win over the New York Jets.
Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel Comments on Having to Defend Caleb Williams
During a guest appearance on The Greg Hill Show, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel shared his thoughts on Caleb Williams, saying, “You have to just play sound, you have to play physical, but also understand how much he [Williams] can extend. He probably didn’t scramble to run as much as he had in the past yesterday so we’ll have to see where he is physically. But he can hurt you either way.”
The Patriots generally play a “sound” defense, as Vrabel puts it, with a pass rush win rate ranked 12th and a run stop win rate ranked 25th in the NFL according to ESPN metrics. Still, when going up against a quarterback of Williams’ caliber, things can get messy fast for New England.
Williams did look a little slower than usual against the Falcons, and the Bears are playing on a short week against the Patriots, but the hope is that he’s back to normal and will make life hard for New England’s defense.
Former Patriots Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski Comment on Williams’ Return
and Rob Gronkowski attend YouTube Brandcast 2025 at David Geffen Hall on May 14, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for YouTube)
Some people are probably thinking this, but did sitting out a few weeks help Caleb Williams to take a step back and reflect on what he can improve on? It almost looks like No. 18 is a different player out there (in a good way).
That’s exactly what former Patriots playmakers Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski talked about on NFL on FOX:
“I thought maybe being hurt for a few weeks and watching Case Keenum going and execute at a high level. Bagent went in there and had some decent production. To see guys stay within the system. I thought it was gonna help him and it looked like it helped him,” Edelman said.
“It’s kind of similar to Bryce Young’s situation but just different context,” Gronk added. “I felt like Case Keenum going in, Bagent having some play as well … it kind of lit that fire underneath Caleb Williams’ booty like, ‘Hey, you can still get replaced just like that.’ Caleb Williams having a little time off I think made him a better football player.”
Let’s see if Williams’ play style changes yet again in Week 7 against the Patriots.
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel Comments on Caleb Williams Ahead of Bears TNF Matchup