The Chicago Bears got hot right before their Week 7 bye. Now they have to come out of that bye to maintain their momentum.
After a slow start at the beginning of the season, the Chicago Bears got hot. They started 1-2 and the offense looked like the same struggling unit despite adding a lot of great talent. Just when some of the fans were ready to burn every player and coach at the stake, things changed.
Suddenly, the offense started moving the ball and getting into the end zone. In their first three games, the Chicago Bears averaged 17.7 points per game, which was a big reason for their struggles. However, they have averaged 31.7 points per game in their last three games.
Things were starting to fall into place for the Bears. Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams started to figure things out. Instead of running for his life and trying to play hero ball, he stayed in the pocket until he had to take off. Additionally, he had 2 touchdowns against 4 interceptions (he also had two fumbles).
In his next three games, Williams has seven touchdowns to just one interception. He stays in his pocket until the last moment before breaking away.
The Chicago Bears’ rushing attack has also improved. After struggling in the first three weeks, D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson have been playing well. Swift is showing why Bears General Manager Ryan Poles wanted him in Chicago.
Swift has been accumulating yards both on the ground and in the passing game. Johnson has been the bruising back to get important short yards to move the chains or to get into the end zone.
Having a good running game also helps Williams. He does not have to play hero ball. He can depend on his running backs to make enough plays on the ground to make opponents crowd the line of scrimmage. That allows Williams to hit open receivers in space.
When the running game was struggling, Williams tried to do too much. When he did that, the turnovers started to pile up.
After the Chicago Bears’ win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, wide receiver Keenan Allen spoke on how having a strong running game makes the offense tough to play against.
It has been huge. The run game has come alive. The first couple weeks it was struggling, but it has really come alive. We’ve got the screen game going. And D’Andre coming out of the backfield is second to none. As long as you have to account for everyone, and Caleb’s out there running around, we’re kind of hard to play.
In some way, this bye week could hurt the Chicago Bears. They were flying high and playing well in all three aspects of the game. Then the bye came and everyone had to sit out a week. Hopefully, that does not cool them off too much.
It is important for the Bears to come away with a win. They face Jayden Daniels the Washington Commanders. Daniels was the second overall pick after the Bears selected Williams with the first pick. Daniels has been riding high this season. Not only is he in the running for Rookie of the Year, some feel he is also in the running for Most Valuable Player.
Williams is also in the running for the Rookie of the Year award. However, the Bears’ slow start puts Daniels as the front-runner. A win over Daniels could change that narrative.
Winning after coming out of the bye has been difficult for the Chicago Bears. Their win over the Detroit Lions last season snapped a nine-game losing streak coming out of the bye week. They want a repeat performance this season.
The Chicago Bears are in the playoff hunt this season. Despite being in last place in the NFC North, they hold the final playoff spot, which is another reason they need to win. The NFC North is the best and toughest division in the NFL. Each team in that division is a playoff-caliber team. The Bears cannot fall too far behind if they want to be a true playoff contender. Later on in the season, they start their division games.
If the Chicago Bears win this week, they could be in a position to grab a stranglehold on a playoff spot. After they face the Commanders, they take on the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots. Both teams have a combined 4 wins. The Bears should be able to handle those two teams. If they get a win against Washington, they could start their division play with a 7-2 record.
A good game from Wiliams could also put him ahead of Daniels in the Rookie of the Year race.
There is a chance that Daniels does not play. He suffered a rib injury. He is considered week-to-week so he might miss this week’s game. If he does miss the game, it becomes easier to handle the Commanders.
There were high hopes for the Chicago Bears this season. Many analysts expected them to make noise in the playoff race. After a slow start, they are starting to flex. A win against Washington and that noise will be louder.
