Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw four interceptions but remained unfazed, engineering a game-winning drive in a 27-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. Williams, who had never thrown four interceptions in a game at any level, finished 22-of-37 for 279 yards and two touchdowns despite the turnovers. Cairo Santos kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired after Williams connected with Colston Loveland on a 38-yard pass to set up the winning score.
Williams' response
"I'm going to throw until I can't throw anymore," Williams said. "That's how I live. I work my tail off to be in this position. I'll never not throw the ball. I could throw 100 picks in one game. If it comes down to it, I'm going to throw that pass that I did to Colston, or if it's a tighter window, I'm going to rip it in there. That's how I grew up. That's who I am. I don't get gun-shy. That's not me, that's not my identity, that's not who I am. With that, I'm going to keep grippin' it, keep rippin' it, and Coach calls it, it's time to go make a play."
Coach Johnson's perspective
Bears coach Ben Johnson praised the team's resilience. "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 because it's hard to win under those circumstances," Johnson said. "We really haven't been in that situation where in the fourth quarter with little time left, needing to go and field goal, touchdown, whatever that is. It just hasn't happened a whole lot this year. And yet I feel like our guys, we are prepped for that and we're ready for it. That's what I know now after going through that. I know as a playcaller, I certainly felt great. It was as calm as I felt on calling plays there that last drive as I was all game long."
Williams was blitzed heavily after Chicago's early 14-0 lead evaporated, throwing three interceptions in the second quarter and a fourth late in the third quarter on a tipped ball intercepted by linebacker Alex Anzalone. The Bears led 24-13 entering the fourth quarter after a defensive touchdown, but a fumble by wide receiver Luther Burden and a six-yard touchdown run by Bucky Irving followed by Baker Mayfield's two-point conversion tied the game with 2:51 remaining. The win marked only Chicago's third victory since 2000 with five turnovers.
