It could be the game of the week, as the 5-2 Washington Commanders are set to host the 4-2 Chicago Bears on Sunday. We know Caleb Williams will be facing off against a former No. 2 overall pick that also won a Heisman Trophy, but we aren't sure which player it will be just yet.
Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels suffered a rib injury in the first quarter of Washington's eventual Week 7 victory over the Carolina Panthers. He did practice on Friday, but is officially listed as questionable to play. In reality, Daniels could be a game-day decision. If Daniels can't go, Marcus Mariota will get the start for the Commanders.
The Bears are fresh off of their bye week, and have won three straight following back-to-back losses. Williams and Co. are clearly finding their groove, as they have won their past two matchups by 19+ points. But, Daniels' unit is tied for having the No. 1 scoring offense with 31.1 points per game.
Let's break down this NFC showdown. But first, here's how you can watch the game:
Where to watch Bears vs. Commanders
Date: Sunday, Oct. 27 | Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Northwest Stadium (Landover, Maryland)
TV: CBS | Live stream: Paramount+
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Bears -3, O/U 43 (BetMGM sportsbook)
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Prediction
It's a legitimate question if Daniels will play or not. The NFL world would love to see him duke it out vs. Williams, but Daniels' long-term health is more important. Washington's staff will play it safe, and be confident in their final decision. Mariota had the benefit of playing the worst defense in the NFL last week, and looked great with 205 passing yards and two touchdowns. He led six straight scoring drives vs. Carolina, and had his highest completion percentage (78%) in a game since 2018. However, there's a reason why he's the only top five pick since 1970 to throw a pass for five different teams in his first 10 seasons.
If Mariota starts, the Bears defense will be the difference-maker in this game. Chicago has allowed an NFL-low 16.2 points per game since Week 12 of last season, and has now gone 12 straight games allowing 21 points or fewer. That's tied for the second-longest streak by any team over the last 15 seasons. Daniels is talented enough to compete with the stout Bears defense. He's the only quarterback in NFL history to complete 75% of his passes while averaging 200 passing yards and 50 rushing yards per contest over a seven-game span. It goes without being said, but Washington would be at a disadvantage if it had to start its backup quarterback.
The Commanders defense is statistically middle of the pack. It dominated against the lowly Cleveland Browns and Panthers, but struggled to stop the high-powered Baltimore Ravens. This defense will have to be ready for a quarterback that's rapidly improving, and already one of the best No. 1 overall QB picks of all time. In fact, Williams is the only quarterback drafted No. 1 overall to have a winning record through six career starts since 1970. He owns two of four 300-yard passing games by rookies in Bears history, and has the fifth-highest yards per dropback (9.5) vs. the blitz over the last three games.
Unfortunately, this is probably not the matchup we were hoping for. With Daniels questionable, it's hard not to lean towards the road favorites, that's what I'm betting.
Projected score: Bears (-2.5) 26-20 over Commanders
