Commanders vs Bears score, takeaways, highlights as Chicago outlasts Washington

After missing two field goals in the San Francisco 49ers' season-opening win over the Seattle Seahawks, kicker Jake Moody was unceremoniously released.

Just five weeks later, Moody was called upon to kick for the Chicago Bears with the team's normal starter, Cairo Santos, injured.

Moody made the most of his opportunity. He drilled a 38-yard, walk-off field goal amid steady rain to give the Bears a 25-24 win over the Washington Commanders to instantly become a Chicago sports hero.

"For everybody to embrace me and take me in as one of their own, it's an amazing feeling," Moody said during a postgame interview with ESPN's Lisa Salters.

"It's always good to have a fresh start," he later added. "I always believed in myself."

Moody's kick capped off not only a roller coaster for him, but also one for Ben Johnson's Bears. The team blew an early 13-0 lead but managed to mount a fourth-quarter comeback thanks largely to a strong game from running back D'Andre Swift.

Swift turned a short third-down catch from Caleb Williams into a 55-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and notched 34 rushing yards on Chicago's game-winning field goal drive. Overall, he finished 175 scrimmage yards on 16 touches to go along with his score.

Meanwhile, Washington will be kicking itself for committing three turnovers during Monday's game, including a costly fumble that allowed the Bears a chance to mount their game-winning drive. The Bears turned those Commanders turnovers into 13 points in Washington's 1-point loss.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates, highlights and more from the Week 6 matchup between the Commanders and Bears on Monday night below.

Commanders vs. Bears instant takeaways

• Change of scenery benefits Jake Moody: Moody struggled during his last season-plus with the 49ers, making just 25 of his last 37 field goals with the franchise. He improved his percentages with the Bears, drilling 4 of 5 field goals with his lone miss being blocked. If Moody can continue to perform steadily, the 25-year-old could emerge as the heir apparent to 33-year-old veteran Cairo Santos.
• D'Andre Swift explodes out of the bye week: Chicago's offensive line improves in front of D'Andre Swift. Swift enjoyed a terrific outing, racking up 175 scrimmage yards on 16 touches. His season-best performance coincided with a change at left tackle to undrafted rookie Theo Benedet as well as improved play from Chicago's interior line. Swift could be in for more big performances with favorable matchups against the Saints, Ravens and Bengals on deck.
• Turnovers marred otherwise strong Jayden Daniels performance: Daniels threw for 211 yards and three touchdowns while adding 52 yards on the ground. This was despite Deebo Samuel having a quiet outing and Terry McLaurin missing yet another game. Unfortunately, Daniels also threw an ill-timed interception and had a key, botched handoff with Jacory Croskey-Merritt late in the game.

Jayden Daniels stats vs. Bears

• 19-of-26 (73% completion rate)
• 211 passing yards
• 3 passing touchdowns
• 1 interception
• 119.2 passer rating
• 10 rush attempts for 52 yards, 0 rushing touchdowns

Caleb Williams stats vs. Commanders

• 17-of-29 (58.6% completion rate)
• 252 passing yards
• 1 passing touchdown
• 0 interceptions
• 98.6 passer rating
• 4 rush attempts for -2 yards, 1 rushing touchdown

D'Andre Swift stats vs. Commanders

• 14 rushing attempts
• 108 rushing yards
• 0 rushing touchdowns
• 2 receptions - 3 targets
• 67 receiving yards
• 1 receiving touchdown

Commanders vs. Bears final score: Bears 25, Commanders 24

Commanders vs. Bears highlights

Commanders vs Bears score: Bears win on Jake Moody 38-yard field goal as time expires

The Bears make the Commanders pay for the costly fumble late in the game. Chicago drives 41 yards into field goal range for Jake Moody, who kicked a 38-yard field goal to put the Bears ahead as time expired.

Bears recover fumble after Jayden Daniels, Jacory Croskey-Merritt botch handoff

The Commanders were close to running out the clock on the Bears, but with 3:07 remaining, disaster struck. Daniels and Croskey-Merritt botched a hand-off that fell to the turf and Chicago cornerback Nahshon Wright was able to jump on it.

The Bears will now have just over three minutes to mount a scoring drive. They are trailing 24-22 but are playing in steady rain with a backup kicker, Jake Moody, playing in place of Cairo Santos.

Jeremy McNichols picks up 15 yards on third-and-13 reception

The Bears were close to forcing a three-and-out, but they couldn't bring down McNichols after he caught a checkdown from Jayden Daniels. He gets a first down, and the Commanders will have more time to run the clock down, as four minutes remain in regulation.

Bears forced to punt after penalty, costly Olamide Zaccheaus drop

The Bears appeared to have a chance at a big play, as Zaccheaus broke open across the field and would have had a chance to rack up some yards after the catch. However, the veteran receiver was unable to bring in the catch with rain falling at Northwest Stadium.

Zaccheaus tried to make up for it with a 14-yard reception, but it was short of the line to gain. Tory Taylor had to punt, and the Commanders will now get more time to bleed the clock.

Bears force punt after pressuring Jayden Daniels on third-and-10

For the first time in the evening, the Bears have forced the Commanders to punt. Montez Sweat helped get pressure on Daniels to force the quarterback to throw the ball away. 

Tress Way pinned Chicago back at its own 9-yard line, so the Bears will have to go a long way to get in scoring range, trailing 24-22 with 7:57 left in regulation.

Jaquan Brisker called for roughing the passer, giving Commanders first down

The Bears were close to getting off the field, but Brisker hit Jayden Daniels low while trying to sack the quarterback on a third down. The officials threw the flag, nullifying a third down incompletion and giving the Commanders drive new life.

Commanders vs Bears score: D'Andre Swift turns third-down catch into 55-yard TD

It took the Bears just three offensive plays to answer the Commanders' score. Caleb Williams threw a pass to Swift just beyond the sticks, and the shifty running back made a man miss before taking the catch all the way to the end zone for a score.

Chicago's 2-point conversion failed, so the Bears will remain behind the Commanders in a tight, 24-22 battle with 10:26 left in regulation.

Commanders 24, Bears 22

Commanders vs. Bears score: Washington extends lead with 6-yard Zach Ertz TD

Washington makes Chicago pay for its missed field goal. Jayden Daniels quickly orchestrated a scoring drive that was buoyed by a 37-yard pass to Jaylin Lane. Ertz was able to finish the drive off with a 6-yard TD catch in the middle of the end zone.

Matt Gay makes the extra point, and the Commanders are leading 24-16 after going on a 24-3 scoring run.

Commanders 24, Bears 16

Jake Moody's 48-yard field goal attempt blocked by Commanders

Washington will retain its 1-point lead to open the fourth quarter. Moody's kick was low, and Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw combined to knock the ball to the turf with ease.

The Commanders will now have a chance to build on their lead with great field position.

Commanders hold 17-16 lead going into fourth quarter

The Commanders have overcome a 13-0 deficit and hold a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter. 

Will Washington's advantage last long? The Bears will open the fourth quarter facing a fourth down in field goal range after Caleb Williams lost a handful of yards following a botched snap. 

If Jake Moody can make a fourth field goal, the Bears will retake the lead. Either way, it figures to be another down-to-the-wire finish between two teams whose matchup last season was decided on a Hail Mary.

Luke McCaffrey catches 33-yard TD from Jayden Daniels

The Bears made one of their first big defensive mistakes of the day shortly after Washington's fourth-down conversion. Nobody ran with McCaffrey down the field, and Daniels was able to deliver a deep pass to the wide-open wide-out without any trouble.

Matt Gay made the extra point, and Washington has its first lead of the day at 17-16.

Commanders 17, Bears 16

Commanders convert fourth-and-2 with 13-yard completion to Jeremy McNichols

The Commanders decided to go for it on fourth-and-2 from near midfield. Jayden Daniels found McNichols, a backup running back, breaking open up the right sideline. He hit the veteran with ease to keep Washington's drive going.

Where did Caleb Williams go to high school?

Williams went to Gonzaga College High School, which is located in Washington, D.C. 

As such, Monday's game was something of a homecoming for the 23-year-old quarterback, though the Commanders currently play in Landover, Maryland, and not in Washington, D.C.

Commanders vs. Bears score: Bears settle for 41-yard Jake Moody field goal after Caleb Williams sacked

After Rome Odunze's TD catch was nullified by a penalty, Williams was sacked by Commanders edge rusher Dorance Armstrong. That caused Chicago to settle for yet another Moody field goal.

The former 49er converted his kick once again, and Chicago's lead is back to six points at 16-10.

Bears 16, Commanders 10

Rome Odunze TD wiped out by illegal formation penalty

The Bears appeared to have a second touchdown, as Caleb Williams feathered a perfect, 11-yard strike to Odunze in the end zone. However, left tackle Theo Benedet was called for an illegal formation, which wiped out the score.

Commanders vs. Bears score: Commanders open second half with 53-yard field goal

Washington had a nice first drive going, but an intentional grounding penalty against Jayden Daniels put the Commanders behind the chains. As a result, they had to settle for a long, Matt Gay field goal, but the veteran made this one.

The Bears are now leading just 13-10 in the early stages of the third quarter.

Bears, 13, Commanders 10

Jayden Daniels stats at halftime

• 10 of 11 passing (90.9%)
• 74 passing yards
• 1 passing TD
• 1 interception
• 87.1 passer rating
• 4 carries
• 5 rushing yards
• 0 rushing TDs

Caleb Williams stats at halftime

• 10 of 17 passing (58.8%)
• 85 passing yards
• 0 passing TDs
• 71.9 passer rating
• 2 carries
• 5 rushing yards
• 1 rushing TD

Bears hold 13-7 halftime lead over Commanders

Chicago got off to a fast start, but Washington closed the gap in the second quarter. The Bears have outgained the Commanders 163-120 and have also forced two turnovers, off which they have scored 10 points.

The Commanders are set to get the ball after halftime, giving them a chance to cut into Chicago's deficit right away.

Frankie Luvu sacks Caleb Williams to force three-and-out

The Bears were unable to get into scoring range after Matt Gay's missed field goal. Luvu managed to chase down Williams for a 7-yard sack and loss, which forced the Bears to punt for the first time to close the half.

Tory Taylor's punt bounced out of bounds at the Commanders 9-yard line. Washington will presumably take a knee and end the half with just 19 seconds left in the frame.

Matt Gay doinks 50-yard field goal off left upright

The Commanders had a chance to cut the Bears' lead to 3, but Gay's 50-yard attempt leaked slightly to the left. It hit the upright and bounced harmlessly to the turf.

Gay is now just 3 of 6 from 50-plus yards this season, and Chicago will have 1:10 and one timeout left to get into scoring range.

Commanders stop Bears on fourth-and-1 with pass breakup

Incredibly, Dan Quinn's successful challenge of a 1-yard catch ended up being consequential. The Bears ended up facing a fourth-and-1 just two plays after the challenge, and Ben Johnson opted to go for it.

Caleb Williams' pass was knocked to the ground by a Commanders defender, creating a turnover on downs.

Commanders win challenge of 1-yard completion to D'Andre Swift

Dan Quinn made a head-scratching decision to challenge whether Swift caught a dump-off pass he turned into a 1-yard gain.

Quinn and the Commanders did win the challenge, and time was put back on the clock after the pass was ruled incomplete. But with 6:23 left in the second quarter and the Bears just facing a second-and-10 instead of a second-and-9, the challenge didn't seemingly make all that much of a difference.

Chris Moore gets Commanders on board with acrobatic, 22-yard TD catch

Just one play after Jayden Daniels dropped the ball while running but managed to recover it, he helped Washington score its first points of the game. Daniels lofted a pass to Moore on the left side of the end zone, and the receiver managed to reel in the pass and get a knee down inbounds for the score.

Matt Gay makes the extra point, and the Bears' lead is now down to 13-7.

Bears 13, Commanders 7

Why did the 49ers release Jake Moody?

Moody played one game for the 49ers to start the 2025 NFL season but made just 1 of 3 field goals during it. He made only 70.6% of his attempts the previous season, which led San Francisco to part ways with the 2023 third-round pick.

The Bears signed Moody to the practice squad and called him up for Monday's game to replace the injured Cairo Santos. Thus far, Moody is holding his own as Chicago's top kicker, making his first three kicks.

Commanders vs. Bears score: Caleb Williams runs in 1-yard TD

Chicago capitalizes on the Commanders' turnover. The Bears get the game's first touchdown with 14:18 remaining in the second quarter. Caleb Williams took a shotgun snap on the 1-yard line and beat Washington's defense to the right pylon for the score.

Jake Moody makes the extra point, and Chicago has an early 13-0 lead.

Bears 13, Commanders 0

Bears up 6-0, to open second quarter with first-and-goal opportunity

The Bears have come ready to play on "Monday Night Football." Their defense has already forced two takeaways during the game and outgained the Commanders 115-34 over the game's first 30 minutes.

Caleb Williams hasn't been perfect, but he has completed 8 of 11 passes for a respectable 79 yards. Meanwhile, D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 36 rushing yards on seven carries in the opening quarter, as Chicago's offensive line looks better with undrafted rookie Theo Benedet starting at left tackle.

The Bears are only up six after settling for two field goals, but they will open the second quarter with a first-and-goal from the 7-yard line.

Bears recover Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt fumble after Montez Sweat punch-out

The Bears have notched their second takeaway in as many drives. This time, Sweat managed to hit the ball out of Croskey-Merritt's hands behind the line of scrimmage.

Chicago pounced on it and is already just a few yards away from Jake Moody's field goal range.

When did the Washington Commanders team name change occur?

Washington changed its name from the "Washington Football Team" to the "Washington Commanders" ahead of the 2022 NFL season.

The team used the Washington Football Team moniker for both the 2020 and 2021 seasons after spending most of the franchise's previous history being known as the "Washington Redskins."

Commanders vs. Bears score: Bears settle for second field goal, Jake Moody makes 48-yarder

Chicago had almost a carbon copy of its first drive. The Bears successfully advanced the ball down the field but stalled as they approached the red zone, this time due to an offensive pass interference call on rookie tight end Colston Loveland.

Moody is called upon for a second time and makes a field goal from 1 yard further back. The Bears are now leading 6-0 as the first quarter winds down.

Bears 6, Commanders 0

Jayden Daniels underthrows Deebo Samuel, intercepted by Jaquan Brisker

The Commanders appeared poised to answer the Bears' opening scoring drive, but Daniels was intercepted for the first time of the season. The second-year quarterback was looking for Deebo Samuel in the end zone, but he underthrew him, allowing Brisker to undercut the route easily.

Brisker was able to return the pick 30 yards before Daniels helped bring him down. The Bears will start their next drive at their own 34-yard line, leading 3-0.

What does "GSH" on the Bears uniform mean?

That acronym is a reference to the team's founding owner, George Stanley Halas Sr. It has been incorporated into Chicago's uniforms since 1983, following his death at age 83.

Commanders vs Bears score: Jake Moody makes 47-yard field goal to open scoring

The Bears moved the ball methodically down the field on their first possession against the Commanders, but they couldn't get past the 30-yard line. Replacement kicker Jake Moody came on to attempt a 47-yarder and drilled it amid the drizzle in Washington.

Chicago has an early 3-0 lead, but Jayden Daniels and the Commanders offense will get their first chance to answer following the break.

What time does Commanders-Bears NFL game start?

The Commanders and Bears game will kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 13, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

What channel is Washington Commanders vs Chicago Bears on tonight?

The Washington Commanders vs Chicago Bears game will be broadcast on ABC on Monday night.

Cord-cutters can also stream the game on with Fubo, which comes with a free trial.

Commanders vs Bears prediction

Chicago has a clear rest advantage tonight. The Bears are coming off an early Week 5 bye, while the Commanders have been on the road for the last two weeks, most recently all the way on the West Coast. Chicago could easily be 3-1 if they didn't blow an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in Week 1 against Minnesota. Both rosters were bolstered with multiple offseason acquisitions, and the Bears' offensive line has been strong thus far. The Commanders are missing a few key contributors due to injury, and Williams will outshine Daniels in another classic with the help of his whole stable of weapons: Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, D'Andre Swift, and Luther Burden.

Prediction: Bears 26, Commanders 24

Commanders inactives vs. Bears

Bears inactives vs. Commanders

Commanders vs Bears live stream

• Live stream: Fubo

Those looking to live stream the game can look to Fubo. Fubo carries ABC, as well as CBS, Fox, NBC, NFL Network and the ESPN family of networks, meaning you'll get to catch NFL action all season long.

Is Deebo Samuel playing tonight vs. Bears?

Samuel is set to suit up for the Commanders on "Monday Night Football." While he was listed on the team's injury report all week with a heel injury, he was not among the inactives for Washington in Week 6.

Is there a Manningcast tonight?

No, there will not be a Manningcast broadcast in Week 6. Peyton and Eli Manning will return to screens in Week 8, when they broadcast the Washington Commanders at the Kansas City Chiefs.

Commanders vs Bears injury report

Commanders 2025 schedule

Bears 2025 schedule

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Chicago Bears record

The Bears enter their matchup with the Commanders at 2-2. They started off the 2025 season with back-to-back losses against the Vikings and Lions, but followed that up with wins over the Cowboys and Raiders.

Washington Commanders record?

The Commanders enter their matchup with the Bears at 3-2. They have alternated wins and losses through the first five games but most recently defeated the Chargers.

NFC North standings

The Bears look to climb the divisional standings and keep pace with their division opponents above .500.

1. Green Bay Packers (3-1-1)
2. Detroit Lions (4-2)
3. Minnesota Vikings (3-2)
4. Chicago Bears (2-2)

NFC East standings

The Commanders enter "Monday Night Football" in second place in the NFC East. Here's how the division stacks up:

1. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)
2. Washington Commanders (3-2)
3. Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1)
4. New York Giants (2-4)

Jayden Daniels warms up for game vs. Bears