5 NFL games to watch during Bears' bye week

Week 5 is on tap for most of the NFL this weekend, but the Chicago Bears will not be participating in a game. The Bears are one of four teams that are on a bye week as they regroup before their 13-game stretch to close out the season. At 2-2, Chicago has won two games in a row, salvaging their season after a poor start to the Ben Johnson era.

Though the Bears won't be playing Sunday, there is still a full slate of NFL games on tap, beginning early in the morning when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Cleveland Browns in London. The action will continue all the way through the evening for an AFC East showdown between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.

In other words, there is no shortage of football for those looking for other games to occupy their time. Here are a few matchups that could be of interest for Bears fans on Sunday:

1. Commanders at Chargers

• 3:25 PM CT, FOX

The Bears' next opponent should be priority viewing this weekend, especially considering who is making their return to the football field. The Washington Commanders (2-2) square off against the Los Angeles Chargers (3-1), and it will be Jayden Daniels' first game back at quarterback since Week 2. Daniels has been out with a knee injury, and Marcus Mariota guided the Commanders to a 1-1 record in his absence.

We'll see how the Commanders' offense looks with Daniels back under center and whether or not the second-year quarterback has any lingering effects from his injury. Bears fans will want to see how the Commanders look against a Chargers team looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season.

2. Lions at Bengals

• 3:25 PM CT, FOX

It's always important to keep tabs on the division, especially when the Bears are still in the thick of things at 2-2. The Detroit Lions (3-1) take on the struggling Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) and could strengthen their lead on the division with a win, especially with two teams on bye. The Lions are rolling right now and could turn this one into a laugher.

At the same time, though, the Bengals are not too far away as an upcoming opponent for the Bears. With Jake Browning starting his third game of the season, maybe he and the offense will start to figure something out. Frustrations are starting to surface in Cincinnati, and this team will either rebound over the next few weeks or be fully off the rails by the time the Bears come to town.

3. Cowboys at Jets

• Noon CT, FOX

Who doesn't love a good revenge game between a couple of former Bears? Justin Fields and the New York Jets (0-4) will take on Matt Eberflus and the Dallas Cowboys (1-2-1) in what should be an entertaining game to watch. Fields, of course, played two years under Eberflus from 2022 to 2023 before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eberflus, meanwhile, spent two and a half years leading the Bears before getting fired midseason.

Eberflus already lost one big revenge game when the Bears dismantled the Cowboys' defense. Will Fields do the same? This could be a high-scoring game in the Meadowlands Sunday afternoon.

4. Giants at Saints

• Noon CT, CBS

At first glance, this may not be the most exciting matchup on the schedule, but it's still a notable one for Bears fans. Both the New York Giants (1-3) and New Orleans Saints (0-4) are on the Bears' schedule in the not-too-distant future, and both teams are looking to climb out of an early hole after a promising Week 4. The Giants may have found something with rookie Jaxson Dart at quarterback, while the Saints pushed the Buffalo Bills to the limit before falling.

The other interesting thing to watch will be players who may become available on the trade market. There are rumors that the Saints could offload key veterans if they continue to play poorly, and the Giants have a surplus of defensive linemen that could intrigue the Bears should they remain at the bottom of the division.

5. Buccaneers at Seahawks

• 3:05 PM CT, CBS

We've focused on enough games with Bears connections. Let's watch one that should provide a good matchup. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) are looking to rebound following their first loss of the season against the Seattle Seahawks (3-1), who are coming off a mini bye week. Tampa Bay is beaten up at different positions but always seems to play competitive games that go right to the wire. The same can be said for Seattle under new quarterback Sam Darnold.

Both teams are eyeing postseason play and would be tough outs as of now. But the best reason of all to watch this game is the uniforms. Tampa will be wearing their white creamsicle throwbacks, while Seattle will don the blue jerseys and silver helmets. That alone will make the matchup enticing.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears bye week: Games to watch while Chicago is away