The Chicago Bears know the score. They will return to the scene of the crime that basically started the implosion of their 2024 season. It's Washington. It's primetime. The Hail Mary is burned into the memories of the players. Tyrique Stevenson still hasn't escaped his inexcusable actions in those final moments. Head coach Ben Johnson has been careful with his comments, trying to remind everybody that last year was last year. This is a different Bears team. He isn't wrong. One person who should be grateful for that is Dennis Allen.
The defensive coordinator faces a stiff challenge. Washington boasts the best rushing attack in the NFL, and the Bears have the worst run defense. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is difficult to defend as well, thanks to his ability to throw quickly and accurately. However, Allen will have one advantage going into the game. It sounds like star Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin won't play. Last season, he gave the Bears' defense fits, catching five passes for 125 yards. Without his presence, Allen might be able to allocate his resources more effectively.
Dennis Allen should dare Daniels to beat him.
Yes, the young quarterback is capable of doing so, but without McLaurin, such efforts will be more challenging. The Bears are getting Kyler Gordon back from injury. He should help with the pass coverage, as will T.J. Edwards. Dennis Allen cannot afford to let Washington dictate the tempo of the game with their ground attack. That means loading the box and working to slow them down. Daniels still has Deebo Samuel and Zach Ertz. He's not devoid of options, but they aren't the main identity of that offense.
Games like this are why the Bears hired Allen. His intelligence and creativity allow him to give good quarterbacks headaches. The issue was that he couldn't start doing that until his defense got better at stopping the run. We're about to find out if any meaningful adjustments were made during the bye week to correct the problem. Getting Edwards back should help, but the problem has been up front. The defensive line must start controlling its gaps better. This is one of those games Allen must show up.
