Thomas Brown helping Caleb Williams, Bears offense keep improving

Moore added that Brown excels as a speaker and motivator, saying: “When he’s up in front of the offense, we want to go out there and play our best football for him. He’s going to call the game and we’ve just got to go out there and execute.”

Brown was in his first season as Bears passing game coordinator when he was elevated to play caller.

“He’s got a great presence with the guys,” said coach Matt Eberflus. “He’s clear in his communication, and he works really well with the rest of the offensive staff.”

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has excelled with Brown calling plays. Against the Vikings, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards with two touchdowns, no turnovers and a 103.1 passer rating.

Asked what impressed him most about Williams’ performance, Eberflus said: “[It] was a big challenge in terms of front variation, coverage variation, the pressure looks and then dropping out. Pressure looks and then pressuring. Being able to handle that, get the ball out in a timely manner, to be able to check to the protections at times when he needed to, which is really good too.

“And then being able to strike the ball down the field because that’s where the open spaces were, based on what they were presenting to us during the season and then [Sunday] too. Really good job with the tight-window throws and getting the ball in space. Decision making was really good.”

One of Williams’ best throws Sunday was a 27-yard dart to Moore down the seam to the Vikings’ 30 in the final seconds of regulation. The play set up Cairo Santos‘ 48-yard field goal as time expired, tying the score 27-27 and forcing overtime.

“We practiced it a few times,” Moore said. “I never saw the ball come my way during that play in practice, but when it did in the game, I was just like, ‘I’ve just got to make a play on it.’ There was nobody around in the middle of the field. Caleb did a good job of getting it over two defenders that were jumping. I just had to catch it, get down for us to be able to have that field goal.”