The Washington Commanders are preparing for an anticipated rematch against the Chicago Bears, but this is a different team they’re facing.

You have to leave the past in the past, and the Bears made a lot of changes this offseason, so the Commanders can’t expect to see the same team on Monday night. I had to ask A to Z Sports beat writer Kole Noble the important questions about what to expect from this Bears team.

1) It’s a matchup between two second-year QBs. Where has Caleb Williams improved the most?

“First thing that comes to mind is footwork. Anytime Caleb Williams or head coach Ben Johnson are asked about improvements the young quarterback has made through four games, footwork is always the first thing mentioned by both the player and his coach. Last season, Williams honestly wasn’t getting his feet set or properly aligned to his reads while working in the pocket.”

“Not doing so leads to inaccurate throws, missed timing with the reads, and getting to happy feet in terms of abandoning the pocket. Johnson and Williams spent a bulk of the offseason stripping down the fundamentals in that specific area, and it’s clearly made a difference in his game. Williams has been delivering on-time and accurate balls down the field while progressing through all his reads (although Johnson noted he’d like to see more accurate balls on checkdowns moving forward).” – Kole Noble, A to Z Sports Chicago

Williams has been much improved in Johnson’s offense, and it shows. He had four interceptions through his first four games last season, and he only has two to start this season in the same number of games. The Commanders need to get pressure on Williams all game and force him to leave the pocket.

2) The Bears revamped the entire offensive line this offseason. Has it been a difference maker?

“Absolutely, in one area. Pass protection has been a major improvement for this offense. Through four games in 2024, Williams was sacked 16 times (FOUR times per game). Compared to 2025, Williams has only been sacked seven times. It could still be better, but it’s a night-and-day difference. Left guard Joe Thuney was easily the team’s biggest addition from a leadership standpoint, and with his high-level play on the field. He’s literally the only main offensive player without a penalty this season and has only allowed four total pressures.”

“The tackle positions are still undecided after Theo Benedet started in place of Darnell Wright in Week 4 before kicking over to left tackle after Braxton Jones was benched. Coming out of the bye, Benedet seems to have earned the starting left tackle position, but he’s still a little raw in pass protection. At right tackle, if Wright is forced to miss another week, rookie second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo is in line to make his first career start after holding up remarkably well against Maxx Crosby last week. The run game is the main concern Johnson has with this unit. Chicago is struggling to move the ball consistently on the ground, and the entire operation is at fault. Specifically with the offensive line, these guys are still learning to gel with each other, and the mental hiccups on combo blocks are evident from time to time.” – Kole Noble, A to Z Sports Chicago

The Bears’ lack of a run game can be a real concern, considering the Commanders will run the ball at will against that defense. If Williams is pressured and forced to throw it more than usual because they can’t run the ball on the Commanders’ defense, it could be a long night for him. Losing Wright would be a big blow as well, and definitely worth watching on the injury report.

3) The run defense seems to be the biggest weakness for the Bears. What’s the issue?

“Two things really come to mind. First is injury, but it’s not an excuse coaches would openly make. Yet, being without starting linebacker T.J. Edwards and starting nickel Kyler Gordon has been noticeable losses. Edwards is a tackling machine for this defense, and Gordon is always nosy in the run game; having both players back in Week 6 will be a major boost.”

“At the same time, this is a bend-but-don’t-break unit that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is running, and Johnson is pleased with the results when it comes to red zone stops, third-down conversion rates, and the takeaways despite the concerning numbers being given up on the ground. Things can easily change once offenses start pounding the rock against this unit and turning those possessions into points. And, frankly, it just comes down to fundamental tackling and block shedding. We’ll see if the extended bye week helped clean up some of those points of emphasis.” – Kole Noble, A to Z Sports Chicago

Rookie Bill Croskey-Merritt should be licking his chops at this Bears’ run defense, which is bottom of the league and a majority of categories. He can follow up his breakout game from last week on primetime with the world watching. Edwards and Gordon coming back are huge, as Kole noted, and it will be a real test for them to see the difference with them on the field. The Commanders need to continue with the explosive plays in the run game and take advantage of each trip to the red zone.

4) What part of the Bears’ defense does Jayden Daniels have the biggest advantage against?

“Operating in a clean pocket is always a given this season against the Bears. The pass rush has been nonexistent despite how highly paid some of the defensive linemen are in Chicago. The Bears are tied with the Carolina Panthers for the fewest sacks (five) in the NFL this season. The Bears will be getting a boost with second-year edge rusher Austin Booker set to return to the lineup off the injured reserve on Monday.”

“Booker had five sacks in the preseason alone in two games of action. But, if that level of play doesn’t translate to the regular season post-injury, Daniels should be given a relatively clean pocket. Which leads to the scheme in the secondary. Allen runs a very aggressive man coverage scheme. So, when the pass rush isn’t hitting home, the cornerbacks are forced to chase wide receivers and can easily lose separation on crossing routes. Without Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson, the Bears have four defensive backs allowing a 100.0+ passer rating in coverage. But, it’s an opportunistic bunch, so Daniels needs to be smart with the ball because this group is hunting for takeaways.” – Kole Noble, A to Z Sports Chicago

Thankfully, Daniels is always cautious and does a great job taking care of the ball. The passing game started clicking for Daniels last week in his first game back from injury, and he will have more opportunities Monday night, with or without Terry McLaurin. According to SumerSports, Daniels has a 66% completion percentage with 439 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions this season when he has a clean pocket.