The Bears want QB Caleb Williams to control the defense the way Dak Prescott does

The Bears need Caleb Williams to be a little bit more like Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys’ quarterback always seems to be in complete control, whether he’s surveying the defense before the snap, trying to keep his opponent off-balance with cadence or reading the field with the ball in his hand.

Cadence is a little thing — the kind of detail that Bears head coach Ben Johnson appreciates, and has been harping on Williams about since before training camp began.

“[Prescott] has got total control of the field,” Johnson said. “He’s looking to manipulate the defense. He’s looking to control them.”

The best way to fight that, Johnson said, is with a loud Soldier Field crowd Sunday. The Bears defense certainly needs it after giving up more points than any other team through two weeks.

A strong performance by Williams is another way to put Prescott in peril. Sunday marks a critical game for the Bears’ quarterback, and not just because he’s facing former head coach Matt Eberflus’ defense. The Bears need a win after starting 0-2 — and need their quarterback to be a reason why. A season that has begun to spiral downhill quickly can’t afford to keep going in this direction.

An experienced quarterback is a dangerous thing, and Williams won’t become one overnight. The Bears are pushing for him to master the offense as best he can, though, and Prescott serves as one of many inspirations. The Bears have Williams study the traits of other NFL quarterbacks — they want him to model Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s footwork and his ability to hold defenders with his eyes.

“Being able to just know where people are,” Williams said, “and being able to either keep them where they are — or move them and be able to deliver the ball behind them.”

Williams’ game doesn’t resemble Stafford or Prescott. Rather, Johnson wants him to take those traits and integrate them into his own style.

“We find our own way,” Johnson said. “We find what works for us. We’re all a little bit different. We’re not trying to mimic somebody, necessarily, but we are trying to pick things up from them as well. I think he’s done that. I think he sees that every week when we’re watching tape.

“You always admire certain quarterbacks and how they go about their business.”

The pedigrees of Prescott and Williams couldn’t be more different — Williams is a former No. 1 overall pick and Prescott was a fourth-round pick thrust into a starting job because of preseason injuries. Williams struggled in his first year, while Prescott posted one of the best rookie seasons ever by a quarterback. After losing his first-ever in 2016, he led the Cowboys on an 11-game winning streak, finishing with an NFL rookie record 104.9 passer rating and throwing for 3,667 yards.

He's been sharp through two games this year, too.

“I think Dak is one of the best quarterbacks in his league,” safety Kevin Byard said. “He's definitely playing like it.”

Williams hasn’t looked at ease through the first two games, growing wild after a perfect start in Week 1 and throwing an inexcusable interception in Week 2. Accuracy will be a focus all season long.

“Just having my feet, eyes all tied together,” Williams said. “And being in rhythm with the routes and wide receivers.”

Johnson, as ever, is preaching patience, even claiming this week the Bears are “going to be playing our best football in December.”

He knows, though, that his quarterback — and his team — can’t wait that long to get going.

“He's doing the work,” Johnson said. “Eventually, these results will start speaking for themselves.”