For years, the Chicago Bears have known how to lose close games. With Caleb Williams under center, that narrative is being violently rewritten. The Bears won 24-20 against the New York Giants in a fourth-quarter thriller. And as per the locker room, the QB is leading an exciting comeback.

“I’ve seen it too many times,” Safety Kevin Byard summed it up best. “When the game is on the line and we need him to make a play, he has ice in his veins. I think it’s just the maturation, the growth that he’s been showing, and the greatness that he has. He doesn’t flinch at all. We know if the game is close, he’s going to make it happen for us.”

The win helped Chicago reach 6-3, and Williams was at the center of it. Trailing 20-17 with less than two minutes remaining, the quarterback made a dramatic drive capped by a 17-yard touchdown run that sealed the victory. What made the play more impressive was how it unfolded, designed as a pass, Williams instead saw an opening and took off.

He completed 55.5% of his passes for 220 passing yards and 63 rushing yards with two total touchdowns. The important part is that he keeps delivering when it’s all on the line. Through nine games, Williams has thrown for 2,136 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, and added 246 rushing yards with three more scores.

He has also been much more judicious in his decision-making, reflected by a total of only four interceptions to this point. Perhaps the biggest difference from his rookie season has been pass protection; he is taking just 1.5 sacks per game compared to 4.0 last season.

Williams is embracing his role as a leader, putting the team on his shoulders to carry them to victory. In his rookie season, he finished with a 20-6 TD-INT ratio.

It was a surprising win for the head coach, Ben Johnson.

Bears ride wave of confidence under Ben Johnson

It’s not all about the young quarterback, though-first-year head coach Ben Johnson deserves a load of credit in this Bears turnaround. Chicago has won four in a row, and each of those games came with some form of late-game drama, but Johnson has kept his group focused and resilient.

He’s installed not only a creative, balanced offense but has changed the identity of the team; for the first time in years, the Bears actually expect to win.

“I told the guys in the locker room a minute ago, it really feels like I’m on repeat here,” Johnson said post-game. “These guys are finding a way to fight until the end and win these games. Once again, not our prettiest game.”

His words speak to the gritty, determined mindset now spreading through the roster, one that wasn’t there during their rebuilding phase just a year ago. The Chicago offense did not start hot, but running back Kyle Monangai had given them an early lift with a touchdown to open the game.

The Giants controlled much of the second and third quarters before Williams and company came storming back. A 91-yard drive capped by a short touchdown to Rome Odunze tied it in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for Williams’ game-winning run minutes later.

The Giants lost the momentum when their starter, Jaxson Dart, left the field due to a concussion, and Russell Wilson stepped in his place. It gave Williams and the Bears the chance to overpower them, and they did not let this chance slip.

As long as Williams keeps proving he can rise in big moments, the Bears’ locker room will start seeing Chicago as a team that can win in tough situations. However, we cannot ignore that the Bears are struggling to win the game by dominating the other side.