NFL makes Chicago Bears rematch for Caleb Williams against Jayden Daniels high stakes

As time expired, the Chicago Bears looked poised to beat the Washington Commanders and move to 5-2 after their Week 8 matchup. Instead, Jayden Daniels completed a 52-yard Hail Mary to Noah Brown as Tyrique Stevenson was taunting the crowd. The Bears lost 18-15 in one of the most stunning defeats in NFL history.

If the loss itself wasn’t bad enough, Chicago went into a complete tailspin. The Bears lost 10 straight games, seeing both offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and head coach Matt Eberflus get fired. It was the first time the franchise had ever fired a head coach midseason, showing that the Bears truly hit rock bottom.

With a new-look roster spearheaded by head coach Ben Johnson’s arrival, Chicago is surely looking to avenge their embarrassing Hail Mary loss. The franchise will get their opportunity in 2025, and the entire NFL world will be watching. The Bears will take on the Commanders in Week 6’s edition of Monday Night Football, via JP Finley of NBC Sports. It’s the second confirmed Monday Night Football game for Chicago, as they’ll open their season on primetime against the Minnesota Vikings.

After the Hail Mary last year, Commanders vs Bears will get primetime treatment this year. Sources tell me Chicago @ Washington on Monday Night Football Week 6. pic.twitter.com/dpOxWEWtPY

— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) May 14, 2025

Chicago Bears, Commanders retool for 2025 

The Bears and Commanders are attempting to build their team the same way, around quarterbacks on rookie contracts. Jayden Daniels got the upper hand in 2024 not just in Week 9 but overall. As Caleb Williams struggled to live up to his No. 1 pick potential, Daniels went on to have a prolific season and win Rookie of the Year.

Heading into 2025, Washington made sure to continue supporting their quarterback. They acquired Laremy Tunsil in a trade with the Houston Texans, massively bolstering Daniels’ blindside. Tunsil earned an 88.6 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking fourth/140 tackles. The Commanders also used their first-round pick on fellow tackle Josh Conerly Jr, ensuring Daniels has strong protection for the foreseeable future.

When he drops back to pass, Daniels will now be able to target Deebo Samuel, who the Commanders acquired in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. Samuel saw his production fluctuate at times with the 49ers, but no one is doubting his playmaking ability. Alongside Terry McLaurin, Daniels has a dangerous group of playmakers to work with. After bursting onto the scene in 2024, the Commanders aren’t looking to turn back anytime soon.

But the Bears aren’t going to cower after their defeat. Bringing in Johnson alone showed that Chicago was committed to turning their franchise around. However, they didn’t stop there, making aggressive additions on both offense and defense.

Defensively, the Bears turned to former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen as their new defensive coordinator. Then, they signed Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett to nearly $100 million worth of contract. With players such as Montez Sweat, Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon already on the roster, Allen and company have a strong core to work with in 2025.

Where Johnson specializes if offense, and the Bears made sure his deck was stacked. After allowing a league-high 68 sacks in 2024, Chicago traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson before signing Drew Dalman. All three are expected to give Williams a much more formidable front and more time to operate in the pocket.

The quarterback already had solid weapons in DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Cole Kmet. However, the Bears selected Colston Loveland and Luther Burden with their first two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. While Johnson will need to fit the puzzle pieces together, the Bears look much more dynamic on paper.

All of this to say, the Bears and Commanders matchup is sure to look a lot different in 2025. Both franchises are looking to prove they’re ready to be true contenders. With the whole world watching in primetime, Week 6 gives each time a chance to plead their case. After how 2024’s matchup went, the Bears are hoping for a much better outcome.