Game Recap – Washington Commanders at Chicago Bears

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October 14, 2022

By Noonefromtampa

First Half

The Washington Commanders won the coin toss and elected to defer until the second half. The Bears opened on offense behind signal caller Justin Fields, who showed his elusiveness on the first play by eluding Montez Sweat and Jonathan Allen after being forced out of the pocket on a pass play and picked up 8 yards. After picking up two first downs, the Commanders defense stepped it up and sacked Fields twice and forced an incompletion to make Chicago punt.

The Washington offense did nothing much on their first possession. Carson Wentz was sacked on third down with very obvious blitz coming. Tress Way punted the ball 58 yards. The Bears went to a roll out passing game to try and negate Washington’s effective pass rush. Cole Kmet picked up 16 yards and a first down on a Fields pass. Dante Pettis picked up 19 yards on a reception and the Bears also converted a 4th down and 2 yards to go play. The Bears then picked up another 24 yards primarily running the ball taking it down to the Washington 6 yard line. Fields then hit a lineman in the head with the ball, which then popped into the air and was intercepted by Allen.

Washington started its next drive off with a penalty of illegal formation. Washington was able to pick up a first down with an 18 yard completion to Cole Turner. However, another Wentz sack ended that drive. The Bears had a huge play on the next drive with a 62 yard run by Khalil Herbert, who was chased down by Efe Obada and Cole Holcomb at the Commanders 6 yard line. Washington’s defense got called for too many men on the field moving ball even closer to the goal line. However, Chicago could not punch the ball end and turned the ball over on downs at the Washington 1 yard line.

Washington was able to get some breathing room behind the running of Brian Robinson and a 17 yard completion to Terry McLaurin. Washington was able to pick up only 5 more yards before once again having to punt. Darnell Mooney caught a 26 yard pass for Fields but the drive sputtered out with the Bears punting 4 plays later. The two team traded punts again after short drives.

Then, Washington had their best drive of the half behind two defensive pass interferences on the Bears which netted 32 yards in gains. J.D. McKissic picked up 16 yards running the ball on a draw putting Washington into field goal position. Curtis Samuel dropped a sure touchdown pass over the deep middle by jumping too soon and the ball caromed off his hands incomplete. Washington had to settle for a 38 yard Joey Slye field goal.

With 46 second left in the half, the Bears were able to move the ball out to midfield but Fields took several hard hits on the drive. With 5 seconds left, Fields launched a “Hail Mary” pass into the end zone, but the Commanders secondary was able to knock down the ball.

Washington 3, Chicago 0

Second Half

Washington opened the half with four straight runs and picked up a first down. However, on third and two, the Commanders called for a roll out pass and Wentz was sacked. Way punted the ball inside the 10 yard line.

Washington had Chicago backed up with a third and eight but allowed them to pick up a first down on a bubble screen. From there it was all downhill. Behind a 13 yard run by David Montgomery and 21 yard completion to Mooney, the Bears moved the ball into Washington territory. Washington then had 12 men on the field again, but the Bears didn’t care because Fields threw a 40 yard touchdown to Pettis over Kendall Fuller. Cairo Santos converted the extra point.

Washington answered with their best drive of the game. McLaurin caught a 10 yard pass and Antonio Gibson had an 18 yard run. Gibson then picked up another 25 yards running and receiving. Robinson was able to convert a third and two giving Washington a first and goal at the 10 yard line. The Commanders pick up 5 yards combined on first and second down. On third down, Cam Sims committed a false start, which moved the ball back to 10 and Wentz’s pass attempt was batted down. Slye barely converted a 28 yard field goal just inside the right upright.

On the Bears next drive, the Washington’s defense allowed Fields to escape the pass rush and run for a first down on third and eight. However, after two more runs, on third and one, Fields was sacked for a 16 yard loss by Sweat forcing a punt. Washington was only able to move the ball 9 yards and punted.

Velus Jones Jr. muffed the punt off his facemask and Christian Holmes recovered the ball at the Bears 6 yard line. Robinson gained 5 yards on first down behind a Wentz block and scored on the next play. Washington elected to attempt a two-point conversion but Wentz overthrew Samuel in the back of the end zone.

Allen sacked Fields again on third down, but Benjamin St-Juste was called for illegal use of hands, giving the Bears another set of downs. The Bears were then able to run for 23 yards on 4 rushing plays.  Washington was able to force a loss on a running play and three incompletions, combined with a delay of game penalty, which led to a turnover on downs at the Washington 48 yard line.

The Commanders got the ball back with 2:28 left to play. On first down, Robinson ran for 16 yards behind excellent blocking from Charles Leno Jr. and Andrew Norwell. The Commanders picked up only 6 more years after that leading to a 48 yard field goal attempt, which Slye hooked left, giving the Bears the ball back at their own 38 yard line.

Allen almost ended the game on the Bears first play with a strip sack, but the Bears recovered the ball. Fields then completed a 16 yard pass Montgomery down to the Washington 44 yard line. Fields then scrambled for 39 yards and was pushed out of bounds at the Washington 5-yard line by Rachad Wildgoose. Fields picked up 1 yard after escaping the pass rush but threw incompletions on the next two plays. Darrick Forrest had a great pass breakup on one of the incompletions. On fourth down, St-Juste broke up a touchdown pass to Mooney, who re-caught the ball barely just outside of the end zone for a turnover on downs. The Commanders ran a quarterback sneak to end the game.

Washington 12, Bears 7

Game Thoughts

Carson Wentz did not have a great night throwing the ball, but he played his heart out running the ball and throwing blocks for his fellow players.

I don’t understand Antonio Gibson not being used more in the first half, especially in the outside run game.

Brian Robinson scored his first career touchdown which is incredible considering his being shot just weeks ago.

If you wanted a wild and exciting finish to a Commanders game, where Washington ends up winning, this might be that game for this season.