Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw four interceptions for the first time in his football career but remained unfazed, leading a game-winning drive that culminated in Cairo Santos' 38-yard field goal as time expired to secure a 27-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night.
Williams unfazed by turnovers
Williams finished 22-of-37 for 279 yards and two touchdowns despite the four turnovers. Three interceptions came in the second quarter after Chicago's early 14-0 lead evaporated, and a fourth came late in the third quarter. "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."
The Bears' final drive featured a 38-yard connection to tight end Colston Loveland to set up Santos' winning kick. Tampa Bay had tied the game at 24 with 2:51 remaining on Bucky Irving's six-yard touchdown run and Baker Mayfield's two-point conversion.
Coach Johnson praises 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," Bears coach Ben 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."
The victory marked only the third time since 2000 that Chicago has won a game with five turnovers.
