Ben Johnson says Caleb Williams playing ‘Best Football Yet’ after stunning Bears comeback

Caleb Williams authored his most defining performance of the season Saturday night, lifting the Chicago Bears to a 22-16 overtime victory against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.

The win pushed Chicago to 11-4 and showcased why the rookie quarterback has become one of the league’s most dangerous late-game players.

Williams did not dominate from start to finish, but when the margin for error disappeared, he took control of the game.

He guided three scoring possessions in the fourth quarter, capped by a six-yard touchdown pass to undrafted rookie Jahdae Walker that pulled the Bears level.

In overtime, he delivered a 46-yard strike to DJ Moore for the walk-off score, a throw that sealed one of the most dramatic wins in the rivalry’s recent history.

Afterward, head coach Ben Johnson made it clear he believes Williams is trending upward at the right time.

“He came through and he always makes plays when needed,” Johnson said. “He’s clutch like that… I really do think he is playing some of his best football right now of the year.”

The numbers support that confidence. Williams has now engineered six game-winning drives, the most in the NFL this season.

He also matched Peyton Manning for the most fourth-quarter comebacks in a single year by a quarterback under 25. For Chicago, the larger takeaway is not just the result, but how calmly their quarterback handled the chaos that defined the final minutes.

A comeback built on preparation and poise

The Bears were down 16-6 late before momentum swung rapidly. A field goal, a successful onside kick recovery, and Williams’ touchdown to Walker erased the deficit in a flash. When overtime arrived, Green Bay’s fumbled snap on fourth-and-1 gave Chicago an opening it did not waste.

Williams finished 19 of 34 for 250 yards, threw two touchdowns, and added 30 rushing yards. Thirteen days earlier, he had left Lambeau Field after a costly interception ended a loss. This time, the ending flipped entirely.

“I knew it was good,” Williams said of the winning throw. “You got that belief, you got that confidence, you got that swagger as an offense.”

The decisive play was not improvised. Williams and Johnson installed it during a one-on-one film session earlier in the week and rehearsed it in practice. Moore recognized the coverage immediately.

“Once I saw the defense was one-on-one,” he said, “I knew Caleb was going to give me a chance.”

Beyond the highlights, the broader pattern stands out. Chicago has six wins this season after trailing in the final two minutes, its most since the 1970 merger. Saturday also marked the Bears’ first overtime victory since 2017.

More than any single throw, that consistency under pressure explains why Johnson sees Williams’ current stretch as the strongest football of his young career.