Bears vs. Commanders Prediction, Odds, Spread, Injuries, Trends for NFL Week 8

Iain MacMillan | Oct 22, 2024

Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) throws the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We were set up for a duel between the top two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft this week when Caleb Williams and the Bears take on the Washington Commanders, but an injury to Jayden Daniels in Week 6 now has that meeting in question.

Daniels is considered "week-to-week" after hurting his ribs early in the game against the Panthers. While he still may suit up on Sunday to face the No. 1 overall pick in Williams, the betting odds seem to lean toward the LSU product missing this weekend's contest.

Let's take a look.

Bears vs. Commanders Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via BetMGM Sportsbook

Spread

• Bears -1.5 (-110)
• Commanders +1.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Bears -130
• Commanders +110

Total

• OVER 43.5 (-110)
• UNDER 43.5 (-110)

Bears vs. Commanders How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, October 27
• Game Time: 4:25 pm EST 
• Venue: Northwest Stadium
• How to Watch: CBS
• Bears Record: 4-2
• Commanders Record: 5-2

Bears vs. Commanders Betting Trends

• Bears are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games
• Commanders are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games vs. Commanders
• The OVER is 6-1 the last seven times the Bears have played at Washington
• Bears are 7-1 ATS in their last eight games vs. NFC opponents
• Commanders are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games
• Commanders are 3-7 ATS the last 10 times they've been set as favorites

Bears vs. Commanders Injury Reports

Bears Injury Report

• Tyrique Stevenson, CB - Questionable
• Terell Smith, CB - Questionable
• Zaach Pickens, DT - Questionable
• Jaquan Brisker, S - Questionable
• Kyler Gordon, CB - Questionable

Commanders Injury Report

• Tyler Owens, S - Questionable
• Dorance Armstrong, DE - Questionable
• Brandon Coleman, OT - Questionable
• Jayden Daniels, QB - Questionable

Bears vs. Commanders Key Players to Watch

Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams: The Bears rookie quarterback got off to a slow start to his first season in the NFL, but he has caught fire in recent games. He has thrown for a combined 530 yards, six touchdowns, and only one interception in his last two starts. Now that the Bears are coming off their BYE week, we'll see if he'll be able to continue playing at a high level.

Washington Commanders

Brian Robinson Jr.: If Daniels can't go for Washington, the Commanders are going to have to rely on Brian Robinson Jr. and their run game. He's averaging a solid 4.7 yards per rush on the season and the fact the Bears have struggled to stop the run at times this season is only good news for Robinson's production.

Bears vs. Commanders Prediction and Pick

In this week's edition of the "Road to 272 Bets", I broke down why I like the Bears to win and cover in this NFC showdown:

At this point, we still don't know if Jayden Daniels is going to suit up this weekend. If you think he will, it's likely the better choice to hold off on betting on the Bears until that announcement is made as the line will move toward the Commanders.

Because I have to place all my bets on Monday night, I'll reluctantly back the Bears at -2.5 and accept having a bad line if Daniels is cleared. There are two main reasons I'm backing Chicago in this one. The first of which is the Bears' offense had begun clicking before they had their BYE week, averaging 6.1 yards per play over their last three games, the 10th-best mark in the NFL in that stretch.

Secondly, the Bears' defense has been underrated in 2024, especially their secondary. They are third in opponent yards per pass attempt (5.7), first in opponent dropback EPA, and second in opponent dropback success rate. Their defense will be a huge challenge for whoever it is that plays quarterback for the Commanders in this one.

I'll back Chicago fresh off their BYE week.

Pick: Bears -1.5 (-110)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!