Thursday Night Football Sees Desperate Washington Commanders vs Chicago Bears

Posted on: October 13, 2022, 06:50h. 

Last updated on: October 13, 2022, 11:07h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

The Chicago Bears host the Washington Commanders for Thursday Night Football and the start of the NFL’s Week 6. The Commanders are anxious for another win, but oddsmakers can’t make up their mind on how this game will go.

Washington Commanders
Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) avoids the sack attempt of Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat. The Commanders will attempt to tighten up their defense tonight when they face the Chicago Bears. (Image: USA Today)

The Bears are 2-3 and face a team that now sits at 1-4. Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, after everything he’s been through and done for Washington over the past four years, might be questioning if it was all worth it.

This game could give the Super Bowl-winning coach a bit of nostalgia. Not only is he a one-time defensive coach for the Bears, but he also played for the team as a linebacker for nine years.

Commanders Not in Command

The Commanders come into the game with mixed results behind them and currently sit in fourth place in the NFC East. They’re coming off a loss to the Tennessee Titans and need to focus tonight.

Washington is having trouble on offense. Although they’re sixth in terms of passing completion (1,390) and fifth in rushing yards (445), they’re not finding a path into the end zone.

The club’s turnover margin is 1.6 and their average possession time on the field is 31:40, slightly better than the winning Kansas City Chiefs. Based on these stats, the Commanders should be better than 1-4.

Despite everything, they’re only averaging 6.6 yards per play, putting them toward the bottom of the offensive rankings. Rivera has to be frustrated with the results and might try to change up the playbook tonight. Whatever he decides, rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. will likely have a huge role.

The Bears enter the game third in the NFC North. They’re coming off a loss against the Minnesota Vikings last week and will look to QB Justin Fields to be more productive today.

The Bears average 135.8 passing yards and 4.85 yards per attempt. Their average time of possession this season is 26:31, much of which has been used by Fields dancing around the pocket.

Fields hasn’t been as effective as the Bears hoped. His passing performance is 31st in terms of adjusted net yards, and he hasn’t done well under pressure. The Commanders have noted this and will try to use it to their advantage.

Their last matchup was on Sept. 23, 2019, at FedExField, when Washington was still known as the Redskins. The Bears won that game, 31-15, Washington had taken the previous four.

An Offensive Battle Gives Bettors Opportunities

This will likely be a game that pits two ground attacks against each other. Neither QB will go out of his way to produce an aerial assault because of a lack of resources. And, after Robinson’s performance last week, the Commanders want him to show off again.

DraftKings and Caesars have this game as a push on the moneyline, although FanDuel has gone a different route. It gives the Commanders the benefit of the doubt at -118 to the Bears’ +100.

During the regular season, the Bears have accumulated an average of 17.2 points per game while the Commanders average 18.0. With an over/under of around 38 and two teams that have trouble moving the chains, this game should stay under.

There’s also something to consider with the spread. It’s at just one point, and Chicago hasn’t covered in the last nine games against Washington. On the other hand, Washington has gone 5-1 against the spread against Chicago. This will be an exciting game to watch, and sports bettors will have some tough decisions to make.