Commanders rush for 150 yards
The Washington Commanders' offense goes through their rushing attack. Kliff Kingsbury does a fantastic job of scheming things up effectively and playing to the strengths of both the offensive line and those carrying the football. It's been a recipe for success so far, but a stern test awaits this weekend.
Not having Jayden Daniels would take away a dynamic rushing threat. Even if he does participate, Kingsbury would be wise to avoid designed runs to prevent further injury to the ribs. The Chicago Bears play a lot of Cover 2 shell, but they attack the football and close space quickly. They are also conceding just 112.0 yards per game on the ground, ranked No. 11 around the league.
Brian Robinson Jr. needs a big game. It would also be a good time to lean heavily on veteran Austin Ekeler to set the tone. This bears more significance if Marcus Mariota is under center, who's not the most mobile at this late stage of his career.
If the Commanders can get somewhere around the 150-yard rushing mark, that represents a solid platform from which to build. Whether they can accomplish this lofty feat is another matter.
Commanders sack Caleb Williams five times
The Commanders' pass-rush has improved in recent weeks. They seem to be finding the right formula despite the limited options available. Joe Whitt Jr. needs this trend to continue and perhaps even enhance further in Week 8 at Northwest Stadium.
Caleb Williams is starting to show signs of why he was the (almost) consensus No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. There were some obvious growing pains and hesitancy early on. Things are slowing down for the signal-caller after his adjustment period. That helps when one considers what he's playing in front of.
If there was one glaring weakness on the Bears, it's their offensive line. It's not a particularly strong unit. They are giving up 3.3 sacks per game - ranked No. 30 around the league. This shouldn't go unnoticed by the Commanders as part of their plans to thwart Williams this weekend.
Preventing the former USC star from improvizing in the pocket is crucial. If the Commanders get Dorance Armstrong Jr. back into the mix, Washington can feel confident about causing havoc in Chicago's backfield despite missing Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.