LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Caleb Williams found an apt nickname for Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

“He’s the king of the Cover 0 blitz,” the Bears quarterback said, “and finding a bunch of different ways to do it.”

Williams isn’t wrong. Flores is an aggressive play caller who blitzes a ton and designs them well.

RELATED CONTENT:

• Why Coach Dave Wannstedt thought Caleb Williams ‘really improved’ vs. Packers
• Bair Mail: On Ryan Poles, Matt Eberflus, Lovie Smith and blocked FGs
• Why Matt Eberflus will send blocked field goal to NFL for review
• Overreactions: Brutal losses, Thomas Brown, Matt Eberflus and the NFC North

Per NFL Pro stats – where all the numbers referenced below come from — the Vikings rank second in 2024 overall blitz percentage with Flores using the tactic on 38.8 percent of his plays. He has soared well above that number individual games, with 45-plus percent blitzes in four games this season.

Williams knows what’s coming. It’s now about how he deals with it.

The rookie has been okay handling and exploiting vulnerabilities from bringing extra players forward. He’s 56-for-95 passing for 576 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, 6.1 yard per attempt and an 81.3 passer rating.

That’s low in the overall league ranking, with Minnesota’s Sam Darnold rocking a 144.3 passer rating when blitzed, but Williams is decent at it and adept and processing indicators and information presented pre-snap.

New coordinator Thomas Brown getting plays in early will help, but it’s up to Williams to execute and prevent negative plays.

“The defense, their job is to go out there and disguise and hold blitzes and do all these different things,” Williams said in a Wednesday press conference. “So, when you see it and feel it post-snap and you couldn’t make an adjustment pre-snap, you’ve got to know where the hots are and I think I’ve done a solid job.

“I think I could do a lot better, especially this week knowing that they’re going to try and blitz me and when they do bring those blitzes being decisive, getting the ball out of my hands, getting it to my playmakers and then let them go break tackles, make plays and run down the sidelines.”

Williams gets in trouble when he holds the ball too long when pressured, blitz or no, and tries to make downfield plays over short profits. He seems to be developing in that area, though, as evidenced by his play versus the Packers.

“His natural ability is to get the ball out fast,” head coach Matt Eberflus said. “Some players don’t have that ability, right? They take it. Their release is slow. But his is very fast. I think it helps him. The recognition, the way we set it up on offense I think will help him also. And it’s just identifying it before the snap, but, also, it’s a natural ability to get the ball out.” 

Attacking the Cover O blitz could be executed a few ways, including big shots with receivers winning one-on-one matchups downfield. The Bears have personnel to do that with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.

The Bears haven’t been good connecting on deep shots, though which has hurt their overall explosiveness.

Williams has completed just 8 of 41 passes of 20-plus air yards this season for 269 yards a touchdown and four picks and a 23 rating. Overall, his hasn’t been great working the ball downfield. The entire operation could use a tune up, but needs to be ready against the Vikings.

“We gotta work on that,” Moore said. “Hopefully it comes together this week and we go from there.”