Jake Moody’s Field Goal Lifts Bears Over Commanders 25-24 on Final Kick/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Chicago Bears edged out the Washington Commanders 25-24 on Monday night, sealed by Jake Moody’s 38-yard field goal as time expired. Caleb Williams and D’Andre Swift powered the Bears’ offense, while Washington’s late-game fumble proved costly. The win extends Chicago’s streak to three games under rookie head coach Ben Johnson.
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — A year after a miracle Hail Mary capped a wild finish between the Bears and Commanders, Chicago flipped the script on Monday night. This time, it was Jake Moody’s 38-yard field goal as time expired that gave the Bears a dramatic 25-24 road victory over Washington.
New to the roster and pressed into action due to Cairo Santos’ quad injuryMoody delivered in his debut, connecting on four of five field goal attempts. The decisive kick capped a nine-play, 36-yard drive orchestrated by rookie quarterback Caleb Williamsfollowing a costly Washington fumble late in the fourth quarter.
Moody’s performance was a much-needed redemption story. Cut by the San Francisco 49ers in September after missing two attempts in Week 1, the 2023 third-round draft pick seized his second chance in the NFL spotlight.
While last year’s “Hail Maryland” — Jayden Daniels’ 52-yard game-winning touchdown — left Bears fans gutted, this matchup ended differently. Daniels, drafted second behind Williams in 2024, threw for 211 yards and 3 touchdownsbut also suffered his first interception of the season and was involved in a late-game botched handoff that ultimately swung the game.
That fumble — one of three turnovers by Washington on the night — set up the Bears’ final possession with just over three minutes left.
Chicago capitalized behind the electric performance of D’Andre Swiftwho ran for 108 yards on 14 carries and added 67 receiving yardsincluding a 55-yard touchdown reception in the first half. His ability to break a missed tackle by Commanders safety Quan Martin turned what could’ve been a short gain into a momentum-shifting score.
Williams, the reigning No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winnercompleted 17 of 29 passes for 252 yards with a touchdown and also ran for a score, showcasing poise in a tight contest.
Washington, now 3-3, lost a chance to match Philadelphia atop the NFC Eastcontinuing a frustrating pattern of alternating wins and losses.
Daniels was also without two key weapons: Noah Brown, who missed his fourth game due to knee and groin injuries, and Terry McLaurout for the third straight week with a quad issue. Despite these absences, Daniels remained efficient until late, but the Commanders’ inability to protect the football doomed them.
On the defensive side, Dorance Armstrong returned from a hamstring injury to notch his sixth sack of the seasonbut later exited again.
Injuries continued to hit both sides:
With the win, the Bears improved to 3-2riding a three-game winning streak under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. They’ll look to continue the momentum next Sunday when they host the struggling New Orleans Saints (1-5).
The Commanders face a tough challenge on the road against division rival Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1).
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