After an early, but needed bye week, the Chicago Bears get back to work to prepare for their big Monday Night Football game against the Washington Commanders.
The Bears need to flush last season’s terrible finish against the Commanders, but this team is different.
But it is a real thing and it’s certainly going to be the talk of the broadcast.
Chicago also needs to start stacking wins. It’s a cliche, but it’s the truth. The Bears scratched and clawed their way back to .500. Here’s a chance to get above
.500.
Arguably, this is the easier part of the schedule.
Let’s run through what the experts are saying about the Bears following their week.
20. Chicago Bears (2-2) Previous Week: 20
There wasn’t a team, outside of maybe the Ravens or Vikings, who could have used the first available bye week more than Chicago. Injuries have plagued their defense, despite their recent wins. On top of that, first-year head coach Ben Johnson needs to figure out what is going to work for his offense moving forward. Last year’s top pick, Caleb Williams, has looked more and more comfortable, but it’s time for him to start stringing together quality performances on a more consistent basis. Week 6’s road rematch against the Commanders will be a big first step to figuring out who this team is in 2025.
The Athletic – Chad Graff and Josh Kendall
20. Chicago Bears (17) In recent years, giving Ben Johnson an extra week to game plan and tinker with his offense has led to points in bunches. As the Lions’ play caller, his offense scored 41 against the Chargers after their bye two years ago, then hung 47 points on the Cowboys after their bye last year. Can he work his magic as a head coach coming out of the bye?
21. Chicago Bears (19) They come off their bye having won two straight with a tough road game against Washington. The offense has to hope it didn’t cool off on the bye week and continues to grow.
22. Chicago Bears (23) Coming out of the bye week, Chicago will face the Commanders, the team that kicked off Chicago’s 2024 meltdown when Jayden Daniels launched a successful Hail Mary. The Bears’ season spiraled from there. Now, Caleb Williams gets another chance to face his draft classmate.
In combination with some of his encouraging early performances, Williams can put a stamp on his sophomore season with a strong performance in Week 6. If he can outduel Daniels, it would buy this new coaching staff a ton of goodwill.
20 (19): Chicago Bears (2-2)
DJ Moore is third on the Bears in targets, behind Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus. That is why there is trade speculation surrounding Moore. Would a .500 Bears team want to trade one of its most talented veteran receivers?
19. Chicago Bears (18) Pulling into the bye at 2-2 with two straight victories helped give Chicago some steadiness with three of the next four games (and six of the next nine) away from Soldier Field. The bye-week checklist included firming up the offensive line. Last we saw the Bears, they had two inexperienced players manning the OT spots — and holding their own — although Darnell Wright is expected back soon. Caleb Williams still has more room to grow, but the protection must be more consistent. Chicago also needs to clean up the penalty frequency (especially on offense) and continue to get healthier on defense. Kyler Gordon and T.J. Edwards could be nearing returns soon. In Week 6, the Bears will have a chance at revenge against the resurgent Commanders, who beat them in heartbreaking fashion a year ago.
How do you feel about where the Bears rank? Will they be moving up soon?
