Bears’ Caleb Williams earns MVP prediction, but there’s a catch

It didn’t take long for Chicago Bears star Caleb Williams to remind the NFL how dynamic he can be. Now past his hamstring injury, the quarterback finds himself on an MVP trajectory.

In a 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, Williams completed 30-of-36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown. Through the three games he has played in, the quarterback has thrown for 712 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. His 72.5 completion percentage leads all NFL quarterbacks with at least 40 passing attempts.

While the Bears went 2-1 with backup quarterbacks in place, it’s clear Williams adds a different element to their offense. Not many in the league can escape the pocket like he can. Furthermore, Williams’ arm strength is now being matched with elite accuracy. If he can find the open man at all three levels on the field, opposing defenses will have a tough time stopping Chicago.

Williams’ play will determine just how far the Bears go. And if he didn’t miss three games, perhaps the quarterback would be adding some extra hardware to his trophy case.

Bears’ Caleb Williams in near MVP form 

By missing three games, Williams’ stat ceiling will be limited. Even if he balls out like he did against the Falcons the rest of the year, voters will be looking at pure numbers. ESPN’s Ben Solak compared the situation to when Philadelphia Eagles quarterback looked like the MVP favorite in 2022 before missing two weeks due to injury. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ultimately won.

That’s not to say that Williams’ is the MVP frontrunner. Just that hopes of the quarterback truly winning should be taken with a grain of salt.

“Williams hasn’t put up those numbers yet because he has played in too few games and because one of those games was a contest against Vikings defensive guru Brian Flores in the rain,” Solak wrote. “But if he continues to play high-percentage ball while adding the playmaking ability afforded by his legs and authoring a couple of heroic late-game throws in high-leverage spots, then he’s going to look like an MVP by December. And we will all be forced to reconcile with the missed games and whatever other narratives have developed about the other candidates since.”

Ultimately, Williams and the Bears are focused on winning. They’ll always look to be explosive on offense, but the only number that matters ultimately is the final score. Still, if the quarterback continues his run, he’ll find himself in MVP conversations even if he doesn’t win the award.

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