Will Caleb Williams Break 4,000 Yards?
The Chicago Bears currently stand as the only team in the NFL to never have a quarterback throw for at least 4,000 yards in a single season. The closest they’ve ever been to having a franchise quarterback was back during the Jay Cutler days, and while he did pass for 4,526 yards in a single season, that happened back when he was still on the Broncos. With the Bears, his highest single-season passing total was only 3,812 yards. Last season, Caleb Williams broke the team’s single-season passing record with 3,942 yards, still 58 yards short of the coveted 4,000 yards.
This season, Williams is averaging 252.8 yards per game, which puts him on pace for 4298 yards throughout a full season. However, Williams has already missed three games due to injury. Across 14 games, a quarterback must average 285.7 yards per game to reach 4,000 yards, which he isn’t currently on pace to do. However, in the past three games, Williams has passed for over 300 yards against the Falcons and Patriots and 247 yards against the Seahawks, making him the only quarterback to pass for over 200 yards against that elite defense. Williams is trending up, and if he continues his post-injury pace, he has the potential to break 4,000 yards. He’ll need to average 303.7 yards per game to reach this monumental achievement; thankfully, his schedule includes games against the Bills, Dolphins, and the Lions (twice). These teams have done poorly in holding back opposing quarterbacks, giving Williams a chance to break this record, albeit a low one.
One franchise record Williams almost certainly isn’t breaking is passing for 30 touchdowns. No Chicago quarterback has managed to pass for 30 touchdowns in a single season, and Williams is currently on pace to only pass for 17. This is in large part due to his team’s rushing attack; D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai are reliable choices for scoring in the red zone, which limits Williams’ numbers. If Williams doesn’t pass for 3 touchdowns per game, he won’t break this record.
Buccaneers Win Without Completing a Pass
The Buccaneers just made NFL history as the first team since 1974 to win a game without completing a single pass. Baker Mayfield has now passed for only 64 yards in the past two weeks, which is a perfectly normal amount for a quarterback to throw for in a single quarter. During the offseason, the team signed Baker Mayfield to a 3-year extension worth $165 million. Ironically, Michael Penix threw four interceptions, meaning he completed more passes to the Buccaneers than Mayfield did.
Jeffery Simmons Traded to the Chicago Bears
The Bears have struggled on defense for most of the year. They’ve allowed 30+ points to opposing offenses three times in just seven games. Their secondary has been in shambles, with Jaylon Johnson looking like a shell of his former self. Outside of Montez Sweat (who just came off a suspension), the team’s defensive line ranked as one of the worst in the league. Desperate to transform their defensive unit, general manager Ryan Poles made one of his biggest trades to date by giving up two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick in exchange for Jeffery Simmons and a fifth-round pick.
This trade is most comparable to the Packers’ trade for Micah Parsons, where they also gave up two first-rounders in exchange for an elite defensive lineman. Last season, the Packers went 9-3-1 and were clear Super Bowl contenders with Parsons before he suffered an ACL tear. The Bears are hoping for similar success with Simmons.
In his first game as a Bear, Simmons had six tackles, a sack, and a stuff at the line. As one of the best defensive linemen in the league, he drew most of the attention from the Seahawks’ O-line, allowing other Bears linemen to step up while facing less pressure; Austin Booker deflected a pass at the line of scrimmage, which was intercepted by James Lynch.
Congrats to the Ghosts of the ’72 Dolphins
In 1972, the Miami Dolphins went undefeated in the regular season and won the Super Bowl. They are still the only team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl without a single loss. It’s said that the ghosts of the ’72 Dolphins celebrate with each other whenever the final undefeated team in the league finally loses their first game, and they were given reason to celebrate on Sunday.
On Sunday, the 6-0 Vikings faced off against the 4-2 Lions; this was expected to be a tough divisional matchup that the Lions would likely lose. The Vikings have a top-three defense in the league, but their offense rivals the Dolphins and Chargers as one of the worst in the league. The Lions are the yin to the Vikings’ yang, as they have a phenomenal offense that’s paired with a very poor defense. The Lions were able to hold down the fort and handed the Vikings a 19-15 loss. The ’72 Dolphins’ legacy lives on for another year as the only team to ever go a full season without losing a game.
Hawkeye Alumni in the NFL This Year
Now that we’re just over halfway through the NFL season, now is a great time to look at the many Iowa alumni currently playing and see how our university’s legacy has been impacting the NFL.
George Kittle
In last season’s playoffs, George Kittle tore his right Achilles and was questionable to return for the start of this season. Thankfully, he made a very quick recovery and has been one of the only players on his team to avoid the “effects” of the infamous electrical substation and stay healthy. So far, Kittle has recorded 425 yards and 5 touchdowns and is on pace to remain one of the best tight ends in the league.
Sam LaPorta
Like Kittle, Sam LaPorta suffered a back injury last season that led to him missing the rest of the year. Now he’s back and playing quite well, with 367 yards and 3 touchdowns. Players like George Kittle, Sam LaPorta, and T.J. Hockenson show that the University of Iowa truly is Tight End University.
Tyler Linderbaum
Tyler Linderbaum was a standout center for the Ravens for multiple seasons, and in the offseason, he was signed by the Raiders to a 3-year, $81 million contract, making him the highest-paid center in NFL history by a wide margin. He’s played a crucial role in revamping one of the league’s worst offensive lines, engineering part of the Raiders’ newfound success.
Tristan Wirfs
Tristan Wirfs is far and away one of the best offensive tackles in the league, and he has been for multiple seasons. The Buccaneers have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, and Tristan Wirfs has been the single most important player in determining their offensive line’s success over the past few seasons.
Cooper DeJean
DeJean has been a standout cornerback in the league since he was drafted. With a pick-six in Super Bowl LIX, DeJean has cemented his legacy as a key player in stopping the Chiefs from being the first team to ever win back-to-back-to-back Super Bowls. This season, DeJean has recorded 48 tackles, 5 passes defended, and an interception. While the Eagles as a whole have been struggling quite a bit, Cooper has played very well.
Lukas Van Ness
Lukas Van Ness has been given the impossible task of leading the Packers’ defensive line while awaiting Micah Parsons’ return. Luckily, he’s done quite a good job in Parsons’ place. Van Ness has 33 tackles and 4.5 sacks. These are already solid numbers for an edge defender, but with Parsons slated to return soon, Van Ness will be relieved of a lot of pressure and double teams, and his numbers will likely skyrocket.
Jack Campbell
Campbell has been a great linebacker for the Lions for years and has helped their otherwise poor defense stay somewhat afloat. He has 57 tackles this season and a fumble recovery. However, during a face-off with the Vikings, Campbell suffered a neck injury after tackling fellow Iowa alum T.J. Hockenson, and he lay motionless on the ground. He was rushed to the hospital, and the Lions sent out a statement saying that indications are positive, but they won’t send out any more information out of respect for his family. Campbell himself recently sent out a statement saying his recovery was going well, and he has regained movement in his lower body. As fans, all we can do is hope for a speedy recovery and send our best wishes to him and his family. Jack Campbell is an amazing player, and his legacy here at Iowa cannot be overstated. Here’s to hoping for a full recovery.
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