Ben Johnson: "Very pleased" with Caleb Williams, he'll continue to ascend

Bears head coach Ben Johnson said on Monday that the 9-3 team is "winning in spite of our passing game" and he understands that it is hard not to associate that thought with the team's quarterback.

Johnson was clear in his comments that "everybody has a role to play to get this pass game cleaned up," but he circled back to them at a Tuesday press conference with a focus on quarterback Caleb Williams.

"I think when I made that comment yesterday, it’s easily to construe it as I’m not happy with the quarterback," Johnson said. "That’s not the case whatsoever. He continues to get better each and every week, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how he played last week."

Williams is last among qualified quarterbacks in completion percentage this season and isn't close to the 70 percent number that Johnson set as a preseason goal, but Johnson said that he is not measuring Williams' performance solely through that lens.

"I know what the stats say," Johnson said. "Throw those out the window. He’s doing a really good job managing the ballgame and that’s step No. 1 for the quarterback. He’s going to continue to get better. The process is really good right now with how he approaches the week. The way he’s taken the coaching, the way he’s applying the coaching. I’m very pleased with that. I think we’re going to continue to see him ascend whether the stats tell the story or not."

Johnson's overall view of Williams and the team's record are more significant than any individual stat when it comes to how Williams has run the Bears' offense this season. Taking those two things with where Williams is in his career makes it hard to think there's any doubt about the quarterback in Chicago.