By Carey Iona (The Flyin Hawaiian)
LANDOVER, M.D. – The Chicago Bears got their revenge for last year’s heartbreaking finish against the Washington Commanders, securing a dramatic 25-24 victory on Monday Night Football. In a game defined by late-stage blunders and an unlikely hero, the Bears rallied from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit, culminating in a walk-off 38-yard field goal from new kicker Jake Moody as time expired.
The thrilling victory, Chicago’s second consecutive by the rare score of 25-24, improved their record to 3-2 and extended their winning streak to three games. For the Commanders, the loss drops them to 3-3, a painful defeat directly traceable to an uncharacteristic barrage of turnovers.
Turnovers Tell the Tale
The Commanders, who had been praised for their ball security coming into the contest, coughed up three turnovers that proved to be the difference. They fell behind early, as a Jayden Daniels red-zone interception and a fumble by rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt led to ten points for the Bears, staking Chicago to a 13-0 lead.
However, Washington showed resilience, clawing their way back into the game with a 24-3 run, highlighted by three Jayden Daniels touchdown passes, including a go-ahead 33-yard strike to Luke McCaffrey that gave Washington a 24-16 lead in the fourth quarter.
The Decisive Moment
The game-defining sequence came with just over three minutes left. Washington, up 24-22, was attempting to drain the clock on a key drive. Facing a 3rd-and-1 at the Chicago 40-yard line, rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and running back Jeremy McNichols botched a handoff exchange. The ball hit the turf, and Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright fell on it at the Chicago 44-yard line for the third and most costly Commanders turnover of the night.
The turnover immediately set up the Bears for the game-winning drive. Quarterback Caleb Williams calmly led the offense down the field, with key runs from running back D’Andre Swift, who had a phenomenal night with 108 rushing yards and a spectacular 55-yard catch-and-run touchdown earlier in the quarter.
Swift’s final burst of 34 yards on the last possession ensured the Bears were in comfortable field goal range. With the clock ticking down, it came down to a player who wasn’t even on the active roster a day earlier.
Moody’s Redemption
Elevated from the practice squad to replace the injured Cairo Santos, kicker Jake Moody sealed the win with a 38-yard field goal as the clock hit zero. The kick was a moment of redemption for the former 49er, who had been cut after a difficult Week 1 performance.
Moody finished the night 4-for-5 on his field goal attempts, with his only miss being a 48-yard attempt blocked by the Commanders’ Daron Payne. But with the pressure at its highest, the new Bear nailed the final kick, leading to a celebratory mob scene with his new teammates.
For the Commanders, the loss is a tough pill to swallow, particularly after a strong mid-game comeback. But as coach Dan Quinn lamented after the game, “It was a lack of focus there, and it cost us the game.”
The Bears, meanwhile, ride a wave of momentum into Week 7, proving they can win the close ones—even if they need a last-second kick to do it.
