The Washington Commanders will look to improve their record to 6-2 for the first time since 2008 with a home matchup against the Chicago Bears. Here are three keys to the Burgundy & Gold starting another win streak.
1. Run the ball...a lot.
It's unclear at this point whether Jayden Daniels, who missed Wednesday and Thursday's practice with a rib injury, or backup Marcus Mariota will start at quarterback on Sunday, but the Commanders will need to establish a strong ground presence regardless of who is under center.
The Bears are a quality defense and know how to hold their own against the run, but they are not the best in that area like they were last year. Their 112 yards allowed per game, which is good enough for 11th in the NFL, is undercut by the fact that they're allowing 4.6 yards per carry -- tied for the eighth highest total this year. They struggle at times with giving up explosive running plays, as players like Jonathan Taylor, Chuba Hubbard and Tony Pollard all had runs of 20-plus yards against them.
The Commanders have nine plays where they've rushed for at least 20 yards and are one of the most efficient teams in the league at running the football. They're third in attempts, second in total rushing yards and third in yards per carry. They also lead the league in rushing touchdowns, thanks in part to Brian Robinson Jr., who has six of their 14 scores on the ground.
The Commanders are going to stick to what has made them successful no matter who plays quarterback on Sunday, so expect a healthy dose of Robinson, Austin Ekeler, Jeremy McNichols and even the quarterback to chip away at the Bears' defense.
2. Force Caleb Williams to make rookie mistakes.
Caleb Williams is a tremendous talent that has proven he is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick, as he has led the league in passer rating and completion percentage since Week 4. Like all rookies, though, he does have his weaknesses, and the Commanders will need to exploit them.
Williams was known for throwing the deep ball during his college days at USC and Oklahoma. That can still be a key part of his skill set, but it seems like he is still figuring out how to translate that to the NFL game. He has the third lowest grade from Pro Football Focus on deep passes (29.7) with four of his five interceptions coming on such throws. What's more, he's also tied for the lead in turnover worthy plays with five in the category.
Williams also wowed fans with his improvisation that kept plays alive at USC. In the NFL, Williams has been sacked 20 times, which is tied for fourth in the league. There are several factors that go into sack numbers, but there is reason to believe that Williams' adlibbing can unintentionally lead to pressure. PFF notes that Williams is responsible for 18% of his own pressures, which ranks 18th among 45 quarterbacks who have played a snap this season.
The Commanders have struggled at times with allowing explosive plays this season, but perhaps this is the game for them to pressure Williams a little more, dare him to throw the ball downfield and gamble on him making a mistake.
3. Force the Bears into a slow start and take advantage of it.
The Commanders are one of the best teams at getting off to strong starts, as their 5.3 points scored in first quarters is tied for 10th in the league. Conversely, the Bears are one of the worst, as they average just 1.7 points scored in the first quarter. They have just one first-quarter touchdown in six games.
This is an advantage the Commanders must press on Sunday, because the Bears do eventually find some momentum. Though they started all four of their wins in deficits, they've surged back by averaging the eighth most points in second quarters.
Thanks to their defense, which has not allowed more than 21 points scored against them all season, the Bears haven't stayed in deficits for long. It has allowed their offense time to get on track and Williams to get in a rhythm.
There are a few ways for the Commanders to put pressure on Williams; one is through the traditional method of Frankie Luvu, Dante Fowler Jr. and the rest of the Commanders' pass rush doing what they do best, while the other is the offense taking advantage of every scoring opportunity, which they have done better than almost every team in league history.
The Commanders will need to implement both on Sunday.
