Much of the hype heading into the Washington Commanders' primetime clash against the Chicago Bears centered on the Hail Mary miracle last season. As fate would have it, it was the NFC North club that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat this time around.
This Monday Night Football contest at Northwest Stadium always looked like it was going to be decided by razor-thin margins. Chicago got the upper hand thanks to another sloppy start from Washington. The Commanders came back into it, and they traded leads before Dan Quinn's squad seized the initiative in the fourth quarter. However, one critical moment turned the tide.
In slippery conditions, needing one yard for a first down to potentially ice the game, Kliff Kingsbury had Jayden Daniels in the shotgun. The snap was brought in, but the handoff to Jacory Croskey-Merritt was botched, and the Bears picked up the fumble.
The rest is history. Kicker Jake Moody, who'd been called up from the practice squad, made the field goal as time expired. The Bears pulled off a stunning success, leaving the Commanders at 3-3 when they could have easily been 4-2.
There is plenty of blame to go around. There is also no time to wallow in self-pity. A trip to the Dallas Cowboys is on the immediate horizon, which now looks like a must-win game for both squads as the respective seasons teeter.
That's for the not-too-distant future. For now, here are three winners and four losers from Washington's third defeat of the campaign.
Winners and losers from Commanders' heartbreaking loss to the Bears
Loser No. 1
Bobby Wagner - Commanders LB
It's time to have a serious conversation about Bobby Wagner's limitations at this late stage of his playing career. They are becoming more glaring by the week, and opposing teams have picked up on them with ruthless efficiency.
In between the B-gaps, the perennial Pro Bowl linebacker remains a force. Wagner can quickly identify developing plays and knows how to get around the action. The tackle numbers speak for themselves, but they don't tell the whole story.
Wagner looks his age in coverage. The Bears frequently tried to exploit that across the middle and got a lot of joy. Things would have been even worse if former Commanders' wideout Olamide Zaccheaus hadn't dropped a makeable catch when there was nothing but daylight in front of him.
The Bears also got whatever they wanted on the ground. While the defensive line (we'll get to them later) deserves a big part of the blame, Wagner struggled to get to the contact point quickly enough when Chicago ran off tackle on either side.
That's a big problem. And it seems as if Father Time might finally be catching up to the future Pro Football Hall of Famer at long last.
Winner No. 1
Trey Amos - Commanders CB
There were a few positives to take from the contest. While the result didn't end up going the Washington Commanders' way when push came to shove, some players did perform to the level expected on a disappointing evening overall.
Not for the first time this season, rookie cornerback Trey Amos was a shining light amid the doom and gloom. The No. 61 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft is starting to look like a bona fide steal. He turned in another assured performance in coverage, mirroring receivers well and attacking the football with dynamism when targets came his way.
Again, there is some refinement needed against the run, but Amos is slowly progressing in this area. He remains Washington's most consistent cornerback, which is a damning indictment of others but a true reflection of his outstanding transition from college to the pros.
The tests keep coming for Amos, with the Dallas Cowboys' high-octane passing attack next on the agenda.
Loser No. 2
Commanders defensive front
It was hard to single out anyone on Washington's defensive front, so we'll put them all together. This was arguably their worst performance of the campaign so far, and it all started with their failure to stop the run.
The Chicago Bears were there for the taking. They had a struggling, injury-prone right tackle and a former undrafted free agent manning the blindside. Unfortunately for the Commanders, they were not at the races from the outset in this one.
They lost gap discipline on running plays. Veteran running back D'Andre Swift carved up the Commanders to the tune of 108 rushing yards from just 14 carries. Washington lost the line of scrimmage, and they paid a heavy price.
This was a wake-up call. Losing Dorance Armstrong Jr. for spells of the game wasn't ideal, but the Commanders were second best even when he was on the field. They've got enough experience within the group to bounce back, but this trend cannot continue.
Winner No. 2
Zach Ertz - Commanders TE
The Commanders were under-strength in the passing game once again. Terry McLaurin was missing his third-straight contest, and Noah Brown hasn't been seen since Week 2. Deebo Samuel Sr. suited up, but it was clear that the wideout wasn't his usual explosive self as his influence waned.
Washington needed others to step up and fill the void. Veteran tight end Zach Ertz stepped up, giving Jayden Daniels a proper outlet over the short to intermediate levels of the field in pursuit of keeping the chains moving.
This was Ertz's best overall performance of the season. He brought in all six of his targets for 43 receiving yards and one touchdown. The three-time Pro Bowler also lent his assistance in the blocking game, which was needed despite the presence of John Bates and Ben Sinnott to occupy these responsibilities.
Not many shone through the wind and rain with the national NFL audience watching on. Ertz was among them.
Loser No. 3
Jayden Daniels - Commanders QB
Jayden Daniels is held to a higher standard. Not many quarterbacks have the mettle to live up to these expectations, but the Washington Commanders have complete faith in their superstar quarterback to come through when the stakes are highest.
Unfortunately, this was not one of those occasions.
Daniels was lackluster at the start of the game. He couldn't get into a rhythm, and his costly early interception sucked all the momentum out of Washington when the team was in scoring distance. Things began to click in the second half, but it was yet another fatal error when the game was in the palm of his hand that proved to be the difference.
The former LSU standout was warned earlier in the contest. Daniels fumbled on a scramble, but the football took a lucky bounce into his grasp. He wasn't so fortunate when it mattered more, and the Commanders tasted defeat as a result.
Nobody needs to tell Daniels that he needs to protect the ball better. But make no mistake, he's got the required resolve to bounce back.
Winner No. 3
Luke McCaffrey - Commanders WR
Luke McCaffrey's ability to seize every moment is quickly becoming one of Washington's best feel-good stories of the campaign. The wide receiver is coming of age when most thought he would be on the fringes this season. That's a testament to his hard work behind the scenes to improve his long-term outlook.
For some unknown reason, McCaffrey was only targeted once in the passing game. He inevitably brought it in for 33 receiving yards and one touchdown, but fans were puzzled as to why Jayden Daniels didn't look in his direction more often.
However, the 2024 third-round pick out of Rice lands on the winner list due to his work in the return game. McCaffrey is evolving into one of the league's most productive kick returners, consistently showcasing his speed, field vision, and elusiveness in this discipline. He's riding on the crest of a wave right now, which only made his bemusing lack of involvement in the passing game all the more frustrating.
Loser No. 4
Mike Sainristil - Commanders CB
Mike Sainristil enjoyed a phenomenal rookie campaign in 2024. Things haven't gone nearly as well this time around, and the feisty cornerback wasn't his assured self against the Chicago Bears.
Sainristil didn't start the campaign well. He's shown signs of life over the last fortnight, but this was an undoubted step back. There were several lapses in coverage, which the Bears exploited. He also struggled to gain leverage against the run, either getting blocked out of the play or failing to tackle effectively.
There is no need to press the panic button just yet. Sainristil remains an outstanding player and one of the league's most promising young cornerbacks. But the sooner he finds the consistency that saw him emerge as a future franchise cornerstone in Year 1 of his professional career, the better Washington's chances will be.
Otherwise, another difficult afternoon could be ahead against the Dallas Cowboys' prolific passing attack.