That didn’t just happen, did it? A miraculous heave to the endzone that glanced off the fingertips of Bears‘ defenders fell into the waiting hands of Commanders‘ receiver Noah Brown, sending Northwest Stadium into frenzy as the Commanders stun the Bears, 18-15. The play that defies belief came on the heels of a clutch, 62-yard drive that put Chicago ahead of Washington with just seconds left on the clock.
The Commanders’ stupendous Hail Mary to rob the Bears of their victory is sure to be regarded as one of the best moments of the 2024 NFL season — an opinion that assuredly is not shared by Bears fans — but the majority of the game was the farthest thing from exciting.
Rookie phenom Jayden Daniels unexpectedly suited up for the Commanders despite the quarterback dealing with a rib injury, and promise of the first and second overall pick duking it out in a primetime slot was fulfilled. The fans wanted an offensive showcase, but defense ruled through the first three quarters. Washington’s defense held QB Caleb Williams and the Bears’ offense to a scoreless first half, while the defense was forced to bend but never broke, giving up three field goals before halftime. Washington led 9-0 as the second half commenced.
The Bears managed to achieve a breakthrough in the ongoing war of attrition by scoring the first touchdown of the game. Star running back D’Andre Swift hit his quota of at least one electric play per game, taking the outside handoff and racing down the left sideline for the score, cutting deep into Washington’s lead, 12-7. The Bears found themselves knocking on the door of the goal line just a couple possessions later, and that’s when the unthinkable happened.
The box score officially lists Chicago’s back-breaking turnover as a Williams’ fumble, but those who watched the play unfold know the truth. The quarterback stuck what was supposed to be a handoff into the belly of lineman-turned-fullback Doug Kramer — not Swift or Roschon Johnson — who promptly had the ball fling from his hands and into the horde of Commanders’ defenders. It proved to be one of the baffling and inexcusable plays that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron ever called.
The Bears were down, but they certainly weren’t out. The offense began their final drive from their own 38-yard line with 4:21 left in regulation, and they proceeded to pull themselves from the brink and score a go-ahead touchdown with just 23 seconds on the clock. Johnson punched it in from one yard out, all but ensuring Chicago’s win. Bears led 15-12.
That’s when it happened. A short catch put the Commanders at their own 48-yard line with just six seconds on the clock. The next play would be the last. Daniels takes the final snap, scrambles through the pocket, evades a pass-rusher rolling out right, pump fakes a defender to buy an extra second, resetting his feet and launching a Hail Mary throw that met the cavalcade of Bears’ and Commanders’ players at the goal line. The football deflected off the hands of several defenders, but the ball’s momentum carried past the goal line and into the endzone — and into the hands of an undefended receiver waiting there. The stadium erupts, players rush the field, and the Bears dejectedly walk into the locker room after being handed an unbelievable 18-15 loss.
The defeat snaps Chicago’s three-game win streak and put the franchise at an over 4-3 record on the year. Intense emotions of frustration and anger are sure to burning in the chests of Bears fans everywhere but allow me to give a more optimistic approach. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, but let’s call it how we saw it: Chicago restrained one of the best offenses in the league to just one touchdown. The offense had an off-game, and they still had a win in-hand.
The Bears move on from this week to play the inconsistent Cardinals and the despondent Patriots the next two weeks before battling the Packers in Week 11. The season isn’t over, Williams isn’t a bust, and no one needs to be fired. Chicago is still in thick of it, and better moments will be ahead.
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears vs. Commanders: Instant analysis of Chicago’s shocking loss
