Doyle described the play as “a great example of our preparation going through the week, having confidence in something and then going out and executing on [gameday].”
The winning TD came on first-and-10 after the Bears had gained 7 and 11 yards on the previous two plays on runs by D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai, respectively.
“It was the fourth play of that series,” Doyle said. “We were starting to roll a little bit and really all we needed was a field goal at that point in time. We had run the ball pretty efficiently. We felt like we could give them another look of that and they felt like we were getting ready to just kind of hammer the ball and try to get into range, and they got a little bit aggressive, and we were able to capitalize on that.”
While many factors contributed to the success of the play, it would not have mattered if Williams had not thrown the ball with pinpoint accuracy through a gusty wind.
“It’s something that we see in practice, and we’ve seen that continue to get better really since we’ve been here,” Doyle said. “It’s been a big point of emphasis for him. It’s something that him and [quarterbacks coach] J.T. [Barrett] have drilled. It’s something that we spend time and talk about.
“In a big moment with the brightest lights and to be able to go out and execute and do that, it was awesome to see that. But that’s something that we’re going to expect from him on a regular basis just because that’s what he’s capable of, and really it’s about just that consistency now day-in and day-out and then on Sundays.”
The Bears believe that playing at Soldier Field, especially in inclement weather, gives them an edge, in part because of Williams’ arm strength.
“We do feel like it’s an advantage for us because it does get windy, we do have to play in the elements and we feel like we have a quarterback that can cut the wind a little bit,” Doyle said. “Regardless of where we’re playing or what the conditions are, we feel like he’s going to be able to throw the ball well.”
