Week 6 Preview - Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders

By: Sam Myer 10/8/2025

The highly anticipated rematch in Landover between the Bears and the Commanders is set for primetime on Monday Night Football in week six. The first meeting between Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams was a tightly contested matchup that turned into an all-time classic in the blink of an eye. The second installment of this rivalry on the rise is shaping up to have all the elements of an excellent contest.

Washington comes in the game with #1 rushing offense, leading the NFL in yards per game (156) and yards per carry (5.9). They are led by rookie sensation Bill Croskey-Merritt who is currently the NFL leader in yards per carry at 6.6 (min. 40 attempts). Outside of Bill, the true engine of this run game lies in the brains of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and run game coordinator Anthony Lynn. The scheme they’ve conjured up by using tight ends John Bates and Ben Sinott has been nothing short of exemplary. This powerful rushing attack will be on full display on Monday night as the Bears are currently boasting one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.

As for the Bears’ rushing attack, they are led by D’Andre Swift who’s had a middling start to the season. Unfortunately for him, the Commanders strength on defense through the first 5 games has been stopping the run. Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne have had a dominant start to the year as Washington has yet to allow 100 rushers. The one weak point of the Commanders’ run defense is defending the QB run. Russell Wilson led the Giants in rushing in week 1 and Justin Herbert led the Chargers in rushing last week. Caleb Williams rushing has improved since last season as he has shown excellent ability to escape pressure and create a positive play.

Washington’s pass offense is hoping to receive a boost next week with the return of Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. Deebo Samuel has stepped up in their absence, as well as Luke McCaffery; however, it clearly isn’t quite the passing offense it could be with their full complement of pass catchers. Zach Ertz has been quiet in the last three games and will need to return to form if McLaurin and Brown remain inactive. The Bears secondary didn’t have the best start to 2025 but shut down Geno Smith and the Raiders in week four. Additionally, Chicago pass rushers have only five sacks combined in the first four games, so Jayden Daniels should have plenty of time behind his outstanding offensive line.

Ben Johnson arrived in Chicago this spring with one specific goal he was meant to accomplish: teach Caleb Williams to play on schedule and help him reach his true potential. So far, this mission is off to a great start as Williams has much improved his timing and commitment to staying on time. This, and the departure of Keenan Allen, has allowed him and second year wide receiver Rome Odunze to establish a formidable connection that has been the shining light of the Bears season so far. While Chicago’s passing offense is its driving force, Washington’s secondary has been its biggest liability in 2025. While they improved dramatically against the Chargers, they still allowed Justin Herbert to complete two passes over 20 yards. If Chicago can dial up some shots down the field and give Williams enough time, the Commanders secondary could be in for another long night.

The way these two offenses stack up against each other makes for an entertaining picture of what this matchup could be on Monday night. It will be an electric atmosphere in Landover due to the nature of this game and how it became an instant classic in mere seconds last season. Both teams have made significant improvements since last year so it should likely be a higher scoring affair. This would be a significant victory for both teams in the grand scheme of this season and beyond as Washington looks to solidify itself as an NFC powerhouse and the Bears are seeking to take one step closer towards that conversation.