(3) Williams continues to take what the defense gives him.

The rookie quarterback showed veteran awareness and poise last Sunday against the Rams, completing checkdown passes as the defense prevented deep attacks. He hit 15 of 15 throws under 15 yards for 126 yards, highlighted by completions of 10 yards to Rome Odunze, 14 yards to Roschon Johnson, 10 yards to Cole Kmet and 11 yards to Swift.

“When I was in college, I think it was a blow to my game,” Williams said. “I think everyone wanted to say I don’t do checkdowns. But you also have to adapt to the team. You also have to adapt to the situation. It’s always a growing and learning process and I think I’ve done a pretty good job. “The job is to find checkdowns and understand that the game is so important to us and our offense and keeping us on the football field something I did better.

“Every quarterback wants a big play,” Moore added. “But if it’s not there or they can’t see it, the checkdown will be open because everyone else is behind. You never go broke and take a profit. That’s what my coach says, so we live by it, and “I get it.”

The approach has contributed to the offense’s recent success. The unit has scored five touchdowns in the last five quarters after scoring just three touchdowns in the first 11 quarters of the season. Additionally, Williams has improved his completion percentage from 48.3 to 62.2 and from 63.5 to 73.9 in every game he has played.

Over the last six quarters, he has completed 70.8% of his passes with three touchdowns, one interception and a 99.9 passer rating. Through his first 10 quarters, he connected on 57.0% of his passes with no TDs, three interceptions and a 57.6 rating.

“Caleb did a good job of seeing what the defense was presenting and what the game was giving him,” Waldron said. “Going forward, it’s about not pushing to find big plays, not pushing to find explosives, but letting them happen in the context of what the defense is showing on every single snap.”