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NFL Week 6: The return of Caleb Williams, and life gets worse for the Rams
Confirmed
In Short: Caleb Williams returned from a hamstring injury to lead the Chicago Bears to a 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Caleb Williams made his return from a hamstring injury, leading the Chicago Bears to a 31-23 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. According to Heavy.com, Williams completed 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 42 yards on five carries.
Heavy.com noted that Williams' 83.3% completion rate demonstrated his effectiveness in distributing the ball, helping Chicago control the game for much of the afternoon. However, Dave from Heavy.com observed on X that Williams appeared slower than usual, questioning if he was at 100% fitness.
NBC News reported that Williams completed all 24 of his passes from a clean pocket, the most attempts without an incompletion since 2018, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. This performance highlighted his ability to maintain accuracy under pressure.
The Bears' victory was also attributed to the strong play of backup quarterback Case Keenum, who started in Williams' absence due to a hamstring injury. Keenum completed 24 of 34 passes for 247 yards with two touchdowns and a 110.8 passer rating, as reported by Chicagobears and ESPN Chicago.
While Heavy.com and NBC News focused on Williams' return and performance, the BBC (United Kingdom) and Japantimes (Japan) provided broader context, noting that Williams' absence and subsequent return were significant for the Bears' season.
The BBC reported that Williams' 2026 season under head coach Ben Johnson saw the Bears achieve an 11-win season, ending in the NFC’s Divisional Round. The Japantimes highlighted the uncertainty surrounding Williams' status before his return, noting that he had been sidelined due to a strained hamstring and that backup Tyson Bagent was recovering from a concussion.
Despite the differing details, both Heavy.com and NBC News agreed that Williams' return was crucial for the Bears' offensive success. His performance against the Falcons demonstrated his ability to distribute the ball effectively and maintain accuracy from a clean pocket.
The Bears' victory and Williams' performance underscore the importance of his role in the team's success, as both Heavy.com and NBC News highlighted his impact on the game's outcome.
What this adds
The sources have not established the exact timeline of Williams' recovery or the extent of his hamstring injury, but they agree on his significant impact on the Bears' offense.
What's confirmed
- Bears coach Ben Johnson told ESPN Chicago that Williams "will likely miss some time" and labeled him "week-to-week."
What's still developing
- “Gotta watch the tape but Caleb Williams was a bit slower today. Not sure he’s 100%,” Dave wrote on X.
- After a frustrating day with little offense, the Rams had finally pieced together a productive drive to tie the game at 15-all in the fourth-quarter’s final minute.
- Williams also went through a pre-game workout, prior to the inactive designation: Speaking with Pat McAfee on Tuesday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport noted that it looks “pretty good” for Williams to be back this weekend against Atlanta: And for those who believe in reading the social media tea leaves, Williams did update his profile on Instagram, adding the header caption “I’m Inevitable:” That could be the clearest sign yet he will be back for the Falcons game on Sunday.
- Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Josh Allen threw for 269 and 334 yards respectively as the Chicago Bears and the Buffalo Bills won on the road After kicking off the season with a Super Bowl rematch and a trip to Australia, week one continued with a record-breaking Sunday.
- With Caleb Williams out, the Chicago Bears needed Case Keenum to provide a steady presence in their Monday matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
- The offense didn't just stay afloat in Williams' absence; it thrived with Keenum taking the reins.
- Now, quarterbacks like Jayden Daniels, Jaxson Dart and Caleb Williams have joined Darnold among the ranks of the injured.
- “Ben and I just looked at a couple of scramble plays throughout this past year of just right spot, right time, just miss,” Williams explained.
- While no quarterbacks technically reached that “elite” mark, Williams’ 57.3 completion percentage during the regular season and playoffs ranked dead last among QBs with 300+ attempts.
- While speaking with reporters shortly after the Chicago Bears suffered a 31-7 loss at the rival Green Bay Packers this past Sunday, Bears head coach Ben Johnson said that "it's going to be close" regarding whether or not starting quarterback Caleb Williams could return to the lineup for Chicago's Week 6 game at the 2-3 Atlanta Falcons on Oct. 18.
- During a Tuesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," league insider Ian Rapoport of NFL Network/ESPN shared an update on Williams' availability for the Bears-Falcons game.
- It sounds like there isn't as much uncertainty about Williams' status for this coming Sunday's matchup as Johnson suggested.