The 4-2 Chicago Bears will play the 5-2 Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium in a Week 8 matchup. Here’s what you need to know before kickoff (3:25 p.m., CBS-2).
5 things to watch — plus our predictions
In Week 5 at Soldier Field, QB Caleb Williams and wide receiver DJ Moore connected five times for 105 yards and two touchdowns, much-needed production as the duo continues to build rapport. Last time out, it was Allen on the receiving end of a pair of beautiful Williams TD tosses. And make no mistake, even in his 12th season and with more than 10,000 career receiving yards, the 32-year-old admits he needed that big game.
“It was big,” Allen said. “Just to show that I’m still me. I can still make these plays. I’m on a different team but I can still be the guy that I was. … And for about five games there it was like, ‘When’s this guy going to come along and play too?’ ”
On Sunday, Williams and the Bears will look to attack a middle-tier Commanders passing defense. And, yes, it’s worth noting that on the team’s trip to Washington last season, Moore exploded for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Read more here.
- Montez Sweat, 1 year after Bears acquired him from Commanders, is ‘happy being somewhere that I’m wanted’
- NFL flexes Bears-Commanders game to a late afternoon start for juicy Caleb Williams-Jayden Daniels matchup
Will the hyped QB battle happen?
Caleb Williams would love to see fellow rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels return from his rib injury to play for the Commanders. But the Bears QB also isn’t paying much attention to the outside hype that would come if the Nos. 1 and 2 picks in the 2024 draft both lead their teams onto the field this weekend.
“My job is to go win games on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays. That’s it,” Williams said when asked about all the storylines around the matchup.
Whether the game will feature both Williams and Daniels remains to be seen. Read more here.
- Column: Caleb Williams vs. Jayden Daniels? Rookie QBs pump life into franchises — but they’re running parallel races.
- Why connection is key for Bears QB Caleb Williams: ‘Everything is about the bond and the trust you build’
- Sizing up the Caleb Williams-Jayden Daniels duel: 15 eye-catching numbers for the Week 8 matchup
- Bears Q&A: Is there evidence Caleb Williams has improved vs. pressure?
- Tracking Caleb Williams: How the Bears QB is performing in his rookie season
Take the North?
All four NFC North teams are above .500. According to the NFL, it’s the first time since the league went to eight four-team divisions in 2002 that four teams from the same circuit have had winning records entering Week 7.
The Vikings (5-2) are arguably the biggest surprise in the league. The Lions (5-1) have picked up where they left off last season after reaching the NFC championship game, and next are the Green Bay Packers (5-2) and Bears (4-2). Read more here.
- Vikings lose their 2nd straight, falling to Matthew Stafford and the Rams 30-20
- NFC North in Week 7: Lions hand the Vikings their first loss; Packers win on last-second FG
Reviewing the Bears at the bye
The Bears left London and headed into the bye week with a serious buzz building about Caleb Williams and the potential of the 4-2 team. It has been a rapid turnaround after a 1-2 start that had many questioning the direction of the offense and the support system around Williams.
“People can be as excited as they want to be,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “What I can say about Caleb? He’s taken steps every game. That’s been evident. … He’s just super dynamic. He’s a pass-first guy but he has the ability to run as well, and he did a pretty good job of taking care of himself when he does become a runner.” Read more about the offense here.
The streak continues. In every game this season, the Bears have held their opponent to 21 points or fewer. They did so in the final six games of last season, too, and own the longest active streak in the NFL at 12 games. Read more about the defense here.
