At the midway point of the 2026 season, the Chicago Bears’ pass protection is trending more positively of late. They’ve allowed only one sack in each of the last two games, dropping their sack percentage to 6.0%, good for 14th in the NFL. In their previous three games, they allowed 11 sacks. Caleb Williams’ sack percentage is down to 6.70%, just above the league average of 6.67%. He hasn’t had many OMG, how did he escape that sack moments since returning from his hamstring injury, but his pocket
awareness and escapability haven’t gone anywhere.
He may need them in his next game because the Bears have another tough defense on the schedule.
The Bears are on their bye this week, but on November 22, they’ll face one of the NFL’s best pass-rushing tandems when they host the New Orleans Saints and defensive ends Chase Young and Carl Granderson, who have 8 and 7.5 sacks, respectively, in 8 games.
Hopefully I have another easy Sackwatch in a couple of weeks.
- Sack 20: 4th Quarter: 2-3-TB 37 (9:48) C.Williams sacked at TB 39 for -2 yards (sack split by A.Nelson and C.Kancey)
Watching live, I thought this would be a historic Sackwatch, and then when I got to the All-22, my initial notion was confirmed. For the first time in his Bears career, I’m giving this sack to All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney. His guy didn’t get the sack, but the pressure from nose tackle Vita Vea (#50) is what sent Caleb scrambling.
The Bears are running a play-action, so Williams has his back to the defense while he fakes the handoff, and as soon as he turns around, he has a two-time Pro Bowler barreling down on him. Caleb is athletic enough to evade the 350-pound Vea, but the scramble allowed the defenders to slip their blocks, and defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and outside linebacker Anthony Nelson shook free to pursue and get the sack.
Vea got the best of Thuney on this rep, but had he stayed in front just a tick longer, Caleb could have rifled it deep over the middle to Kalif Raymond.
Here’s the individual Sackwatch tally after nine games:
Caleb Williams – 4.5
Sacks happen – 3
Garrett Bradbury – 3
Theo Benedet – 2.5
Ozzy Trapilo – 2
Jonah Jackson – 1
Colston Loveland – 1
Tyson Bagent – 1
Darnell Wright – 1
Joe Thuney – 1
Historical Sackwatch after nine weeks:
2010 – 34 Martz
2011 – 23 Martz
2012 – 28 Tice
2013 – 14 Trestman
2014 – 24 Trestman
2015 – 16 Gase
2016 – 18 Loggains
2017 – 24 Loggains
2018 – 18 Nagy
2019 – 27 Nagy
2020 – 23 Nagy
2021 – 33 Nagy
2022 – 33 Getsy
2023 – 30 Getsy
2024 – 29 Waldron
2025 – 14 Johnson
2026 – 20 Johnson
