Two of the most embattled coaches in the NFL meet on Thursday night in what could be a critical game for each of their futures.
Washington (2-2) is coming off a hard-fought overtime loss to Philadelphia, but the fact remains that the ownership group has said Ron Rivera's fate rests solely on wins and losses. Thursday night presents an excellent opportunity for the Commanders to get back above .500 as they play host to the winless Chicago Bears.
The Bears are 0-4 and coach Matt Eberflus might not see the end of his second season in the Windy City. Chicago does play host to Minnesota and Las Vegas the next two weeks, so a win on Thursday night could go a long way in helping to steady the rocking boat.
QUICK PICK
Bears quarterback Justin Fields looked more like his 2021 self in throwing four touchdowns last week. Then again, that game was against a Denver team that had given up 70 points the week before. Washington's defense is far more stout -- just ask Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. We think the Bears will cover the 6.0-point spread, but the Commanders have the distinct advantage being at home and with a far superior defense.
Prediction: Commanders 24, Bears 23
PROP PICK
Commanders running back Brian Robinson has averaged 12 carries for 57.5 yards over the past two games. However, Robinson going Over 15.5 carries is the third-most popular player prop at BetMGM, drawing 99 percent of the money. The next most popular is Robinson gaining more than 65.5 yards on the ground, which has also been backed by 99 percent of the money.
Robinson hit 19-59 and 18-87 in the first two weeks of the season. So while we're skittish on his yardage total, we do see Robinson being a workhorse out of the backfield on Thursday night. The Bears are allowing a respectable 3.8 yards per carry, but they're 18th in rushing defense because they've faced the ninth-most carries in the league (30.5 per game) while consistently playing from behind in most games.
INJURY REPORT
The Bears enter with a banged-up secondary. Jaylon Johnson (hamstring) and Eddie Jackson (foot) didn't participate in early-week practices. However, Jackson said, "I'm feeling a lot better," and his plan is to return against Washington.
Meanwhile, Dotson (ankle) and fellow wide receiver Curtis Samuel are expected to play. Neither player received an injury designation on Wednesday's injury report released by the team. Dotson initially was listed as limited with an ankle injury, while Samuel also was limited due to a quad ailment.
It should be noted that practice participation levels were all estimations for the Commanders, who did not hold a full practice. Samuel has 17 catches for 178 receiving yards in four games this season, while Dotson has 14 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Chris Rodriguez (illness) is considered questionable.
More must-reads: