Bears report card: Team grades in NFL Week 6 win over Commanders

LANDOVER, Md. – Another week, another thrilling win by a Bears team that is learning how to perform well under pressure.

That’s how they left Washington with a 25-24 victory over the Commanders on Monday night, with a series of major contributions on defense – it came up with a big takeaway late in the fourth quarter, on offense – D’Andre Swift put the Bears in easy field-goal range – and special teams – new kicker Jake Moody hit the decisive field goal as time expired.

It was another complimentary win, one the 2024 Bears probably don’t secure. That was safety Jaquan Brisker’s take after the game, and he’s right.

It was a team win, one that earned high marks in this Week 6 Bears report card:

Rushing offense

Head coach/offensive play caller Ben Johnson said he took it personally that the Bears run game was inefficient through four weeks. He spent the bye trying to get it right and certainly did, finding plays that helped D’Andre Swift get into open space. He got Swift to the edge a ton, where he did some significant damage while averaging 7.7 yards per carry.

The line was blocking well and Swift went off, with 175 yards of total offense and a touchdown. Each week won’t be this good, but rushing efficiency is possible with the talent on hand. That’s a good thing.

Grade: A

Passing offense

Quarterback Caleb Williams had a fine day but an unremarkable one, with 252 passing yards and a touchdown. His biggest pass play was a short pass to the flat that Swift turned into a 55-yard touchdown. Johnson found ways to get Luther Burden involved, but the Commanders weren’t getting beat deep, and made like tough on Rome Odunze. The Bears made plays when it mattered most and Williams kept the ball out of harm’s way.

Grade: B

Rushing defense

The Bears had given up massive yards on the ground lately, including a 240-yard day against the Raiders in Week 4. The run defense was far better against a stout Commanders rushing attack that was the league’s best. Washington averaged 4.0 yards per carry, with a significant sum on Jayden Daniels scramble plays. This unit also forced two fumbles that turned into 10 points.

Grade: B-plus

Passing defense

Jaquan Brisker got an interception with a smart move playing in zone, which the Bears turned into a field goal. While the sack total wasn’t high, the Bears flushed Daniels from the pocket and made him work. The Bears had a tough time covering Zach Ertz and were fortunate that Terry McLaurin wasn’t available in this one. There were some uncharacteristic blown coverages with Kyler Gordon involved for the first time this season, but that should get cleaned up over time.

Grade: B-minus

Special teams

Jake Moody filled in admirably for injured kicker Cairo Santos, with four field goals made in five tries. That included the game winner as time expired, a huge win for a kicker who got cut by San Francisco a few weeks back. Coordinator Richard Hightower must figure out how a field goal got blocked with pressure up the middle, but that was the only blemish on a good day for the kicking game.

Grade: A

Coaching

Johnson called an excellent game. So did defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, with effectiveness blitzing and simulating it. It’s also clear that the Bears players are buying into these schemes and are becoming believers in the culture being established. The Bears are turning into a tough team with confidence that they’ll find ways to win. That comes from their head coach, who has done an excellent job during this three-game winning streak.

Grade: A

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