The Chicago Bears who need big games against Washington Commanders

RG Jonah Jackson

Of the players trending down on the Bears, Jackson's acquisition looks like one of the biggest mistakes GM Ryan Poles made at this point. The real weight of that decision lands on Ben Johnson, though, as it was his past affiliation with Jackson in Detroit that led directly to the acquisition. The Bears gave $30 million guaranteed to Jackson. His cap number for this season is $14.75 million. Their logic for pursuing Jackson seemed good as the Rams had tried to use him as a center, which isn't his position. They also thrust him into the position right before the season started, which made it worse.

Apparently he Jackson has more than one position that isn't his because he's not getting it done at right guard, particularly as a run blocker. He hasn't allowed a sack, but he has four penalties allowed and is graded 71st out of 105 guards Pro Football Focus has graded this season.

After the Nate Davis debacle at this position, it's all starting to have a familiar scent to it.

Not that four games constitutes a season, but it's somewhat surprising the push to get rookie Luke Newman onto the field isn't greater. The sixth-round pick excelled in preseason, although left guard was more his thing.

There is a small ray of sunshine in that if they designated Jackson for a post-June 1 cut next year, they would get $6.5 million in cap savings, although Overthecap.com says they'd eat $10.5 million in dead cap.

DE Montez Sweat

A familiar name for any list of Bears who need big games, Sweat has two sacks in 10 games and one this season. He has five pressures for this season according to Stathead/Pro Football Reference. This puts him on pace for last year's disappointing total of 22. He had 21 for the Bears the year before when he was only in nine games and had 40 total for that year.

Another of their acquisitions in free agency, Dayo Odeyingbo, hasn't lit up the sack  tote board so Sweat is attracting a lot of double teams again.

And by the way, it is the team that traded Sweat to the Bears even if not much is the same there as it was two years ago.

CB Tyrique Stevenson

Stevenson said in a podcast he wears that Hail Mary pass and nothing can change this. If it's true, at least a strong game against the Commanders will help him cover some of it up. He seems to have turned a corner with his play now after two straight strong games, but it's seemed like this before.

RB D'Andre Swift

As Ben Johnson said Tuesday, the running game failure is no one person's fault and he's not calling for the acquisition of another running back. Then again, one way to make your coach look smarter and help the team at the same time is by busting a few longer runs and playing a key role for the offense, both rushing and receiving. Going into last week, Swift actually was PFF's No. 1 pass blocking running back. Now they need him to do what he's really paid to do and elevate one of the NFL's worst running attacks. The teams that beat Washington did it by running the ball.

LB T.J. Edwards

When you've been out almost all season with a hamstring injury, the pressure builds. The worst run defense in the league needs its biggest playmaker against the run on the field getting it done. Edwards had 20 tackles for loss in the last two seasons. It's something they've been missing so far on defense—that and avoiding getting gashed for big gains by opposing running attacks.

T Theo Benedet

It's a tough situation he's thrust into for what looks like his first left tackle start, but Braxton Jones' failures to come back from injury at a reasonable level forced the coaching staff's hand. Benedet went from playing against one of the most ferocious pass rushing forces in Maxx Crosby to facing one of the hottest in Dorance Armstrong, who has five sacks. He'll need to be at the top of the game.

Coach Ben Johnson

They loved laughing at Johnson in Washington last year because he was the one who spurned them when they wanted to interview him for the head coaching job after the 2023 season. Meanwhile, Lions fans talked trash about Johnson for the weird Jameson Williams pass that turned into a critical interception as they sought to come back last year in the playoffs. Johnson would never admit it, but this could be a really big win for him. It would be even bigger for him with his new team, which needs to win a game either at home or on the road over a good team now that they've won a game over a bad team at home and a bad team on the road.