The Chicago Bears have finally managed to banish their demons in the bright lights of Thursday Night Football against the Washington Commanders, getting a comfortable 40-20 victory and snapping a 14-game losing streak.
The win, in classic Bears fashion, had its highs and lows. Quarterback Justin Fields once again excelled and threw for four touchdowns, with his favorite target receiver DJ Moore being the beneficiary of those touchdowns, as he pulled in eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns. The team conversely nearly allowed the Commanders to pull off the comeback, but key plays by the defense kept the victory securely in hand.
Buy Bears TicketsThis game was a whirlwind of emotions from start to finish. So let’s break down everything to know about the Bears’ Week 5 win.
Final Score: Bears 40, Commanders 20
Keys to the game
Fields + Moore = touchdowns: The Bears offense burst to life with ferocity on Thursday night, and the duo of Fields and Moore was the spark plug. The Bears star passer connected with his No. 1 receiver eight times for an unbelievable 230 yards and three touchdowns. Moore got the scoring spree going early by bringing in a 20-yard touchdown early in the first quarter and a 11-yard score to begin the second. Moore completed the hat trick by making a clutch short catch with four minutes left in the game and racing down the sideline for a 56-yard touchdown. The talk of the offseason was the chemistry of Fields and Moore, and it made a grand appearance tonight.
Offensive line gets the job done: With all love being shown to Fields and the offense, it’s important to recognize the unsung hero of the game: the offensive line. The big guys in the trenches dominated what was positioned to be a powerful Commanders front, but they were no match for Chicago’s rebuilt line. Rookie tackle Darnell Wright and left guard Teven Jenkins impressed the most, as the both of them were sound in pass protection and run blocking.
Young guys make big plays: The Commanders second half dissection of the Bears defense had fans at the edge of their seats, but the unit managed to not break in key drives to secure the win. While the defense’s inability to stop offenses in the second half needs to be addressed, some of the young defenders thrust into the starting lineup stepped up big time to secure the win. Cornerback Greg Stroman Jr. filled up the stat sheet, but his biggest play was an instinctive interception of Sam Howell late in the second quarter. Rookie cornerback Terrell Smith capped off an impressive showing by stripping Washington tight end Logan Thomas and recovering the ball. The Bears’ young defensive players were integral to the team’s first victory.
Getsy makes much needed adjustments: Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was in the scope of the fanbases rage along with head coach Matt Eberflus, but Getsy has begun to get himself back in their good graces with another well-called game tonight. While the offense spun their wheels in the mud a bit in the second half, Getsy’s inspired playcalling in the first half more than made up for it. A vertical attack, misdirection, and designed QB runs were a staple in Chicago’s Week 5 offense, and it all cultivated in the Bears dropping 40 points on Washington. There’s still room to improve, but Getsy is starting to get on the same page with his players.
It was over when...
It was over when Fields made a pinpoint accurate short throw to Moore on the sideline, who had nothing but green ahead of him as he scored the game-sealing touchdown.
Chicago attempted to keep the ball on the ground to run the clock out, but injuries to running backs Khalil Herbert, Roschon Johnson, and Travis Homer made it difficult for the run game to pick up many yards. Getsy took a risk and called a critical third down passing play where the primary read was Moore running a short out route. Fields threw with anticipation and precision, threading the needle just over the outstretched fingertips of a Washington defender and into the waiting hands of Moore, who then scored the easiest touchdown of his career.
4 stars of the game
*Justin Fields: When a team’s QB throws for four touchdown passes, it’s hard to think of someone else more deserving of being one of the stars of the game. Not only did Fields manage to keep up his insane level of scoring production, but he also managed to add the ingredient of his running game to the mix, taking off 11 times for 57 yards. The biggest question that the Bears needed to answer this season was if Fields could be the team’s long-term answer at quarterback; he’s now making it hard for the front office to ignore his ascent into stardom.
** DJ Moore: Eight catches, 230 receiving yards, three touchdown receptions. Second most receiving yards in Bears history. Yeah, I think trading for Moore in the offseason was a resounding success. The receiver now has two straight games of having over 100 receiving yards — and three on the year — and that momentum doesn’t look like it will be stopped anytime soon.
*** Darnell Wright: Speaking of offseason additions that paid off, the rookie tackle has more than lived up to his first-round status. Wright has only improved with each passing game, and his performance tonight was his best. Not only did he do a good job in protecting Fields’ right side, but he’s gotten more involved as a run blocker, routinely obliterating unsuspecting defenders as he pulls in front of a running back. No matter how much the Bears will struggle for the rest of the season, Wright is one pillar of hope the fans can believe in long-term.
**** Greg Stroman Jr.: It’s been a while since we could give the defense some recognition in this entry, but Stroman did an excellent job rounding out the secondary with the injuries to Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson and Eddie Jackson. Stroman was everywhere in Week 5, racking up seven tackles, one pass deflection, one tackle-for-loss and even one sack. Eberflus did a solid job of disguising defensive playcalls and sending the defensive backs into the backfield, and Stroman was one defender who benefitted in a major way.
What's next
The Bears will have extra time to enjoy their victory and prepare for a divisional opponent, as the team’s next game isn’t until Sunday, Oct. 15 against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. The game kicks off at 12 p.m. CT on FOX. Chicago ended their 2022 campaign on a whimper against Minnesota, losing to the purple-and-gold, 29-13.
