Caleb Williams stepped up in a big moment for Chicago in Week 9, completing a 38-yard pass to Colston Loveland to put the Bears within field-goal range. Cairo Santos then converted a 38-yard kick, securing a 27-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.

However, Williams endured one of the most difficult games of his NFL career on Sunday at Soldier Field, throwing four interceptions against the Buccaneers. Though the Bears ultimately escaped with a win, his decision-making became a major talking point after the game, prompting a reaction from NFL legend Shannon Sharpe.

Shannon Sharpe Questions Caleb Williams’ Decision-Making After Win Over Buccaneers

Williams’ mistakes seemed damaging, coming after Chicago had made an incredible start.

He threw touchdowns to Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, giving the Bears a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. His struggles began in the second, when he threw three interceptions in quick succession, giving Tampa Bay opportunities to get back into the contest. He added another interception in the third quarter.

On the “Nightcap” podcast following the game, Sharpe questioned why Williams continued forcing difficult throws instead of protecting the Bears’ early lead.

“Caleb Williams got reckless with the football,” Sharpe said. “Three turnovers. I’m talking about back to back to back, and they got another pick. And then they follow the ball, giving Tampa a short field. Tampa tied the ballgame up, but give the Bears’ offense credit when you have to have it. They got down the field, got into field goal range, and ended up winning the ball game.

“I think sometimes Caleb gets a little reckless with the football because we’ve seen him at the beginning making those plays off his back foot… But in a situation where you have a 14-0 lead, you don’t need to be that reckless with the football.”

Sharpe singled out Williams’ first interception, questioning his decision to attempt a throw between two defenders, adding that even if the intended defender had failed to intercept the pass, a nearby safety was in position to prevent the completion, making the decision an unnecessary gamble.

The four-interception performance was a big contrast from Williams’ body of work as a whole. He had thrown just one interception through his first five games of the season before Sunday’s game.

Williams acknowledged his mistakes after the game, admitting that he could have handled certain situations differently. He also said that he failed to deliver in that regard against Tampa Bay and would need to continue embracing that responsibility moving forward.

Sunday was also the first time Williams, who ranks No. 7 in PFN QB Impact Score with an 81.9 grade, had thrown four interceptions in an NFL game. He had never recorded more than two interceptions in a regular-season game before Week 9 Sunday Night Football.