The first half of Thursday's game was a struggle for Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, but he delivered a record-setting performance early in the second half.
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Williams completed his 212th consecutive pass without an interception. This set the NFL rookie record. Williams passed Texans quarterback CJ Stroud, who threw 191 consecutive passes without an interception last season. He then passed Cardinals quarterback Kyle Murray, who threw 211 consecutive passes without an interception in 2019.
Simply setting a record is significant enough. However, Williams also did so in a game in which he avoided a serious, season-ending injury.
The former USC standout rushed toward the sideline early in the second half of the Thanksgiving game. Instead of going out of bounds, however, he hesitated as Lions linebacker Jack Campbell approached.
Caleb Williams has been up and down all year. But to throw a TD pass directly after taking this hit shows some serious grit. pic.twitter.com/PRYKGoVXZr
— Steven Cheah (@StevenCheah) November 28, 2024
Williams' feet slid on the turf and then Campbell collided with his lower legs. His body and legs twisted awkwardly as he slid out of bounds, but he stood back up and headed to the huddle. Williams then threw a touchdown to Keenan Allen to put the Bears on the scoreboard for the first time.
The rookie ultimately headed to the blue medical tent after the touchdown and received a questionable designation. Williams returned to the game and found Allen for another score.
The first score helped Williams set another record. It was his 12th touchdown pass of the season, the most by a Bears rookie quarterback. It broke the record previously set by Charlie O'Rourke in 1942.
This season has featured struggles and successes alike for the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He went four games without throwing a touchdown, and he threw multiple interceptions against the Texans and Colts.
Williams also entered Thursday's game having completed 62.6% of his passes while compiling a passer rating of 84.9. The Bears are out of playoff contention with only four wins, but the team continues to make games interesting.
