'We’re a new team' — Bears HC Ben Johnson downplays Week 6 matchup but is likely sending a different message to players

Winning in Week 6 would be a much bigger deal for the Bears' locker room

To the returning players who played in that game last season, this isn't just another game. This is a game those players in the locker room circled on the calendar when the schedule came out as an opportunity for a rematch.

The last time the Bears and Commanders faced off was fittingly right after the Bears bye week with the team sitting at 4-2 on the season. The game turned out to be a barn burner in which Chicago took a 15-12 lead with 25 seconds remaining. However, the Bears gave up a devastating Hail Mary on the final play to lose the game, a play in which cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was caught taunting the fans while the play was going on.

It was an embarrassment for Chicago and teach tape for what not to do in that situation. Experiencing that kind of loss and the lack of accountability after instantly killed the momentum for the Bears, who went on to lose nine consecutive games after that matchup.

On Monday, the Bears get the opportunity to right that stain from last season. And while Johnson seems to be downplaying the importance of this specific game to the media this week, I'm sure the message is much different with the players.

Johnson needs to be replaying that Hail Mary play all over the building this week and making sure the players understand the message going into this game. Going out there on Monday and coming out of Washington with a win this time around would be another massive culture-building moment.