The Chicago Bears have officially earned the respect of Tom Brady, and even Caleb Williams throwing four interceptions wasn’t enough to change his mind.
For the second straight week, the seven time Super Bowl champion ranked Chicago No. 1 in his latest NFL power rankings for FOX Sports, keeping the Bears ahead of the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, and the rest of the league.
“Great teams have to win ugly sometimes,” Brady said.
Tom Brady Backs Chicago As The Best Team In The NFL
“Caleb definitely made it hard on himself, four picks, but Chicago stays at number one for now.”
Tom Brady credited Chicago’s defense for creating pressure throughout the game while also praising Cairo Santos for delivering the game winning field goal.
In the same segment, Brady spoke about how much he valued having strong defenses during his time in the NFL. Having a dependable defence meant he could play more conservatively as he knows they ‘could handle a punt or failed offensive drive’.
“Of course I went around the locker room after every game and thanked the defense,” Brady said. “You know the saying, Kevin, offense wins games, defense wins championships.”
Now Caleb Williams will need to look after the ball more. Throwing four interceptions is not acceptable for a quarterback whose team is looking to climb the standings and compete for a championship. However, the Bears have shown they can still win even when Caleb doesn’t play well.
Bears Can Address Key Issues In Bye Week
While it has been impressive to see the Chicago Bears win their last four games, there are still some key issues to address before their next game.
Caleb Williams just had a career high of four interceptions against Tampa with Chicago recording five turnovers in total. And head coach Ben Johnson (rightfully) wasn’t exactly thrilled afterward.
“We’re very grateful we stayed in it and found a way to win that thing,” Johnson said, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “Despite the displeasure I might be presenting right now, there’s a lot of good in terms of building this team that comes from a win like this.”
Tom Brady believes the Bears deserve the benefit of the doubt but also noted that they aren’t guaranteed to stay number one. Buffalo has moved into second place after a commanding win against Minnesota. San Francisco is third.
Still, the Bears have proved they can beat good teams, especially with their impressive 34-17 win against Seattle last week.
However, they will need Williams to be more consistent if they want to continue their good form. The defense has done its part, and Brady clearly appreciates that.
Now the Bears have an opportunity to use their bye week to address the mistakes that nearly cost them against Tampa Bay before returning to action against the New Orleans Saints on November 22.
Brady may have Chicago at No. 1 for now, but if Williams continues turning the ball over at this rate, even the Bears’ defense might eventually run out of answers.
Tom Brady Has Made His Feelings on the Chicago Bears Clear