The course of the Washington Commanders franchise changed forever last season with one game.
Week 8. October 27th. The Commanders battled the Chicago Bears in a showdown that features the top two picks from the current draft in Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels.
It was Washington and Daniels that came away victories in an 18-15 battle that ended with a Hail Mary for the Commanders to win the game on a walk-off touchdown. While the game was certainly a defensive showing, it wasn't the cleanest on either side of the field.
According to NFL.com's Kevin Patra, the 2025 rematch between the two teams scheduled this year should be far cleaner ... with plenty of fireworks still to come.
"Last year's iteration wasn't a pretty game, but it had the most memorable outcome with Jayden Daniels' ridiculous Hail Mary. It was a touchstone tilt for both squads. The Bears spiraled into the depths, losing 10 straight, firing their coach, and starting over again. The win helped catapult Washington to the postseason and eventually the NFC Championship Game," says Patra. "I'm anticipating a better bout in 2025."
In the first matchup, Daniels clearly out-dueled Williams throughout the contest. The win set Washington on a course to their first conference championship game in over 30 years.
For the Bears, the Hail Mary set them on a much different path. They won only a single game to end the season. It cost Matt Eberflus his job, and forced an organizational restructure behind Ben Johnson as head coach.
And of course now we know that one of the problems in Chicago might be that Caleb never wanted to be there.
A rematch for both teams will be must watch, especially with Williams and Daniels leading the way at quarterback for their respective squads. And it might just be the biggest matchup going forward.