While the Chicago Bears are still in the roster building portion of 2025, fans are already looking ahead to their regular season schedule. The Bears might be coming off of a 5-12 campaign, but there are signs of true optimism in Chicago.
All starting with new head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears broke a longstanding franchise standard by firing Matt Eberflus midseason. Rookie quarterback was unable to find his footing with so much turnover. Now, Johnson is expected to give both Williams and Chicago a true foundation to stand on and a starting point to build from.
But when those fans – alongside Johnson and Williams – look at the 2025 schedule, one game will immediately be circled in red ink. While they don’t know exactly when, the Bears will be facing off with the Washington Commanders again. And based off of their last meeting, Adam Rank of NFL.com calls it one of the most anticipated rematches of the 2025 season.
“Some might argue the Commanders’ run to the NFC Championship Game was the result of a butterfly effect that can be traced to Week 8 — when they won on a Hail Mary after Chicago CB Tyrique Stevenson chose to engage with the Washington fans instead of covering his man,” Rank wrote. “The Commanders went to the playoffs, while the Bears lost nine more consecutive games and fired their coach.”
“This will also be the second career meeting between former No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and former No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels, with each fanbase claiming their quarterback is the best of the 2024 NFL Draft,” Rank continued. “Only this time, Daniels is an Offensive Rookie of the Year winner with a souped-up supporting cast, while Williams will have an O-line and offensive scheme built to help him reach his potential.”
Chicago Bears, Washington Commanders disaster
The Bears were held scoreless in the first half, entering the break with a nine-point deficit. However, they managed to rally back, as Roschon Johnson’s touchdown and a Caleb Williams to Cole Kmet two-point conversion gave Chicago a 15-12 lead with just 25 seconds remaining. Then, disaster struck.
Jayden Daniels found Zach Ertz and Terry McLaurin for a pair of small gains. And then he unleashed a bomb, 52-yards down field. It trickled off the Bears’ defenders hands and landed in Commanders receiver Noah Brown’s hands. Washington had won 18-15.
During the play, cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was seen jawing with Commanders fans rather than covering his man. While Stevenson didn’t lose the Bears the game, it was an embarrassing act in hindsight. Furthermore, the loss sent Chicago on a tailspin.
The Bears would go on to lose 10 straight games, firing Eberflus in the process. While they were able to end their season with a win over their rival Green Bay Packers, Chicago’s loss to Washington has left a dark cloud over Williams’ rookie campaign.
Caleb Williams ready for rematch with Jayden Daniels
For the rest of their careers, Williams and Daniels will forever be linked. That’s the name of the game when you’re the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in a respective draft class. Daniels ended up winning the battle during the regular season. Then he won the war by taking home Rookie of the Year. But Williams is hopeful for a much different 2025 outcome.
In their first matchup, Williams completed just 10-of-24 passes for 131 scoreless yards. Even in a game the Bears were trailing, the quarterback was unable to fill the box score. It didn’t help that he was sacked three times, but his output was a testament to how much the Bears struggled on offense in 2024.
This time around, Williams and Chicago will have Johnson their side. He was one of the most coveted coaching candidates predominantly due to his advanced offensive mind. Chicago must learn to crawl before they can run. But if Johnson can get the Bears cooking how he did the Detroit Lions, it’s an entirely different offensive story in the Windy City.
Daniels has surely seen all the hype the Bears have gotten, however. Coming off of a playoff run, he isn’t trying to give up Washington’s spot. And if Williams wants to be considered the best player in the 2024 class, he’ll have to take it from Daniels.
Chicago Bears coach warns Braxton Jones to make a serious change before 2025 draft
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