LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Caleb Williams has a longer postgame drive home than most, with plenty of time to contemplate the day’s events on the ride from Soldier Field to his waterfront home in Lake Forest.

The young quarterback replays a game in his mind, making sense of it well before turning tape on the following day. That has generally been a positive experience, with the Bears dominant playing at home. Williams typically finished those game strong, with a warm feeling about what transpired.

That wasn’t the case on Sunday night, following a heartbreaking 20-17 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC’s divisional-round playoff. The decisive field goal came after a rare interception and miscommunication between him and DJ Moore that proved ever-so-costly.

The drive back in the dark, through the unrelenting snow that started pregame and rarely stopped, provided time to reflect. Thoughts of his weekly routine kicked in, of the film review and meetings with head coach Ben Johnson and the comfort of preparing for another game kicked in, even though it defied logic.

Williams longed for another game, though he knew one wasn’t coming. This was it. The Bears season was over just a bit too soon. He had to come to grips with that and was doing so on that drive, when his mood changed. He was disappointed yet filled with gratitude about what had taken place over the last six months.

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He was a better player, a better person, a better representative of the city he now calls home. It was on that drive that the big picture came into focus.

“Being able to drive home and you’re like expecting to wake up the next day and come into the facility, watch the film and do all these different things,” Williams said in a Monday press conference. “You get into such a routine. On the drive home, you’re thinking about it. On the drive home, you’re contemplating on the game, you’re contemplating on you don’t know who’s all going to be here, all these different things. 

“Reflecting back on it, I’m supremely grateful, supremely grateful of everyone here, the organization, last night, Chicago, the city and its support and love for us, for everyone’s commitment and level of sacrifice to be in this moment.”

Williams is different person, a different quarterback than he was when this whole journey began. Back in July he had trouble getting the offense lined up right. There was a steep learning curve Johnson put him on and he understood that. It wasn’t always pretty but it was ultimately worth it, as he developed as a player and team leader and standard bearer for what this organization is all about.

Working through those difficulties brought out his best so many times this season, as we watched an elite talent become an elite playmaker before our very eyes. Williams conducted seven game-winning drives and fell just short on three others. His jaw-dropping throws could fill a highlight reel, as we saw him do things no Bears quarterback before him has done. While he was imperfect and his play still has flaws, the potential is clear and present and should be realized with further development.

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“He’s done it week in and week out. I don’t think it surprises anybody at this point,” Bears safety Kevin Byard III said. “Honestly, I think he’s probably the most gifted thrower that I’ve ever seen. Obviously, we talk about Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford and all of these guys. When I look at, highlight his best throws, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone better.”

Johnson has made him better. Williams has acknowledged that several times, including in an emotional postgame tribute to Johnson after beating Green Bay in the wild-card round. He’s a demanding individual but he’s also someone who cares about his players, which makes his charges play hard for him at all times.

Williams needed someone like that, a coach who demands respect and earns it through a consistent message and clear-cut expectations.

“He’s been the catalyst for us,” Williams said. “To be able to lead us, to be able to stand strong in tough moments and good moments, to be able to show emotion, be able to be who he is and be consistent with that and do what he said he was going to do. He’s been everything that Chicago’s needed as a coach.

“We’re happy to have him. I’m happy to have him as my coach and what he’s been able to do for me, it’s been unparalleled. I’m excited about that. I’m excited that we’re going to be together, I’m excited about our future, I’m excited about getting back here with him and growing more than I did this year and be able to have games and moments like this many times in our career.”

Williams knows his development is not a one-year project, that he has plenty to work on this offseason. Accuracy and footwork sit atop the list, so he can get that completion rate up and make the routine plays regularly to accent those special moments we’ve all seen during this late season run. The Bears missed this opportunity to advance into the NFC championship and meet lofty goals.

This experience has heightened his motivation and drive to usher this organization into a period of sustained success. That came into focus on that long drive home, fresh off a disappointment yet ready to work for better down the line.

“You see what championship level is, you see what you need to do to be at the position that you want to be at the end of the year,” Williams said. “You see what you have to do, you figure it out and when you get knocked down, you get back up. That’s what we’re going to do. That’s my mindset. We never stay down as a team. I think we’ve shown that this year. We never stay down. We keep fighting. We keep fighting. Bringing that mentality to next year and then finding ways to bring that hunger for all four quarters and every single game is going to be important and something that we’ll focus on throughout the offseason and throughout next year.”