- Caleb Williams continues his magic in the wildcard round: The former No. 1 overall pick posted a PFF grade of 77.3, the second-highest among all quarterbacks on Wild Card Weekend. He showed off his full arsenal with six big throws, tying the most of any quarterback in a single game this season.
- Making something from nothing if the piece fails: This season, Williams’ 25 big throws on plays with a time to throw more than three seconds lead the NFL.
Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears pulled off another miraculous comeback, this time defeating the division rival Green Bay Packers to advance to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
The former No. 1 overall pick earned a PFF grade of 77.3, the second-highest of any quarterback on Wild Card Weekend, and showed off his full arsenal with six big throws for the most of any quarterback in a single game this season.
Let’s take a closer look at how Williams pulled it off by breaking down his best throws. These were the game’s defining moments: high-difficulty passes that showcased his arm talent, creativity and poise under pressure and offered a glimpse of the kind of quarterback play Bears fans have been waiting years to see.
Two beautiful layered plaids from Caleb Williams. One complete and one incomplete pic.twitter.com/y1POdi9Met
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 12, 2026
The first two big throws of the game were layered shots over the middle of the field to Colston Loveland, although only one resulted in a completion.
On the first, Williams showed advanced processing by quickly identifying the coverage and executing the correct throw. Green Bay set up with a two-high look and stayed in that grenade after movement, with both safeties jumping to deep halves in the blink of an eye to secure Cover 2. Because the concept emphasized the defender in the center of the field, Williams knew the defender would have to choose a side. He manipulated that defender with his eyes and dropped the ball over the linebacker’s head and in front of the safety for a perfectly placed throw.
The second throw again highlighted Williams’ processing speed. This time, the Packers disguised the coverage and showed a single-high before turning late in Cover 2. Williams immediately recognized the rotation, engaged the middle linebacker and waited for him to enter the route underneath before pulling the trigger. Even with pressure in his face, he delivered a precise throw that fell incomplete despite being placed in the correct window.
Caleb with some perfect throws on corner routes to Colston Loveland pic.twitter.com/1o73LXQyMs
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 12, 2026
The next two big throws were nearly identical, with both targeting Colston Loveland on corner routes. On each play, the Bears executed a three-level flooding concept to the near side – a vertical route to clear space, an intermediate angle and a flat route – designed to burden the intermediate defender.
What stood out on both throws was Williams’ pocket awareness. On the first, he felt the pressure closing from the left, slid calmly to the right and kept his base aligned with the concept before delivering the ball. On the second, he recognized an edge blitz and understood that his running back would be responsible for the pick-up, so he drifted left to buy extra time and create space to make the throw.
Just a ridiculous throw with the game on the line pic.twitter.com/SsqrJPIEAC
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 12, 2026
Next up was the highest-rated throw of the weekend by any quarterback — a fourth-down conversion that kept the Bears’ season alive.
The play broke down when Chicago’s offensive line failed to pick up a stunt, forcing Williams into a scramble drill. While his ability to escape pressure and avoid negative play is well-established, what separates him remains how often he turns those moments into explosive wins. This season, his 25 big throws on plays with a time to throw greater than three seconds lead the NFL.
This particular throw is among his most impressive due to its difficulty. Rolling to his left, Williams realized he didn’t have time to reset his base and deliver the ball conventionally before the receiver ran out of space. Instead, he released the pass while in the air, generating more than 30 yards of yardage and placing the ball perfectly to give his receiver a chance to convert.
Another incompletion by Caleb Williams on a perfect throw pic.twitter.com/cQ3dX9IgcS
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) January 12, 2026
Williams’ last big throw of the game was another incomplete play, but it was another notable move on the move. Forced to immediately scramble under pressure from his left side, he delivered a perfectly placed ball that dropped and would have put the Bears within easy field goal range with less than two minutes remaining. While it didn’t ultimately change the outcome, it had all the ingredients for another defining moment.
For many quarterbacks, the best outcome on such a play is a throwaway. For Williams and the Bears, though, chaos often brings opportunity. Chicago leads the NFL in deep pass attempts on plays with throw time greater than three seconds and ranks second in explosive plays generated in such situations.
The Bears’ improbable season now moves on to the divisional round, where Williams will once again be asked to create magic. That wild card performance perfectly summed up his year: He produced the most big throws of any quarterback during Wild Card weekend (six), doubling the second-highest total, while also posting the lowest adjusted completion percentage at the position by nearly 10 percentage points.
If some routine throws are completed early, the late-game heroics may not be necessary, but those same extraordinary plays are what make Caleb Williams special.
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