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Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson is helping incredibly talented quarterback Caleb Williams inch closer toward his potential after another terrific showing this season, as the NFC North squad outlasted the New Patriots for a 30-24 Thursday Night Football victory. The respected offensive mind commended No. 18 for a successful effort, but when given the opportunity by the media, he also extended praise to the opposing QB.
Despite coming up short and tossing another back-breaking end-zone interception, Drake Maye demonstrated why he is already considered one of the best at his position. Johnson took notice.
“He’s an outstanding player,” the 2025 Coach of the Year finalist said, per beat writer Zach Gatsby. “It’s very hard to bottle him up. You know, you only rush four, and he finds a way if he doesn’t see anything down the field to find an open gap and, you know, skirt on through. And then I think what’s really impressive is how he can find these little outlets and these dumps where they’re still running vertical for catch-and-run opportunities. I think they had a number of those tonight.”
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Ben Johnson with high praise on Drake Maye’s play:
“He's an outstanding player. It's very hard to bottle him up. You know, you only rush four, and he finds a way if he doesn't see anything down the field to find an open gap and, you know, skirt on through. And then I think… pic.twitter.com/zZO7err2py
— Gatsby (@ZachGatsby) October 23, 2026
Maye completed a stellar 77.4 percent of his passes for 321 yards with two touchdowns and the aforementioned pick. He rushed for 26 more yards and another score, keeping the Pats within striking distance of the home-team Bears. AJ Brown posted another quiet outing, and Romeo Doubs was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week, leaving the MVP runner-up with scant options at wide receiver.
Drake Maye is rising above his limited resources statistically, but he still has mistakes to clean up. His red-zone decision-making skills are particularly under scrutiny. There is no reason to think he will fail to make the necessary adjustments, though. Caleb Williams has certainly addressed his previous shortcomings.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, who was taken just two spots ahead of Maye, boasts a 71.2 completion percentage, 1,020 passing yards, seven total touchdowns and one interception through four games. He did take a potentially game-altering sack late in the fourth quarter before being bailed out by kicker Cairo Santos, but the Bears cornerstone is progressing nicely in his third NFL campaign.
Both Williams and Maye have the ability to shine in this league for a long time, something Ben Johnson clearly recognizes. They cannot get complacent, however.
Chicago (5-2) is still trying to separate itself in the division, and New England (4-3) aims to follow up its Super Bowl appearance with another big year. Their star signal-callers should determine their respective ceilings.
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