Can Sam Howell and the Washington Commanders bounce back with a win or will Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears get their first victory of the season?
Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season kicks off with the 2-2 Washington Commanders hosting the 0-4 Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football.
The Commanders look to bounce back after two consecutive losses, while the Bears remain searching for their first win of the season.
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Game Info
Date: Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023
Start Time: 8:15 p.m. EST
Location: Landover, Maryland
Stadium: FedEx Field
TV Info: FOX, Amazon Prime Video (streaming)
Radio Info: ESPN 1000 (AM 1000, 100.3 FM HD2), LATINO MIX 93.5 FM (Spanish), SiriusXM (channels 81 or 227), BIG 100 (WBIG-FM)
Betting Odds
Odds courtesy of DraftKings.
Point Spread: WAS -6 (-108) | CHI+6 (-112)
Moneyline: WAS (-265) | CHI (+215)
Over/Under: O/U 44.5
The Commanders head into primetime as favorites over the winless Bears.
Chicago Bears
The Bears are coming off a gut-wrenching 31-28 loss to the Denver Broncos in which they saw a 28-7 lead slip away into a loss. Now 0-4, Chicago desperately needs a win. They’ve lost 14 straight games and are close to making it a full calendar year since their last win. A win here is needed, not to save the season but to boost the morale of a team that hasn’t felt the joy of winning yet.
Record vs. Washington: 21-23-1
Most Recent Victory vs. Denver: 09/23/2019, won 31-15
Record in 2023: 0-4
Notable Injuries: CB Kyler Gordon (IR), DB Josh Blackwell (IR), OL Braxton Jones (IR), CB Jaylon Johnson (Out), S Eddie Jackson (Out), WR Chase Claypool (Out), OL Teven Jenkins (Questionable), S Jaquan Brisker (Questionable)
X-Factors: The entire team, coaching included
Additional Facts
- QB Justin Fields had career-highs in completion percentage (80 percent), passing yards (335), passing TDs (4), and passer rating (132.7) in Week 4
- Terell Smith is one of four rookie DBs with 2+ TFL (2) and 2+ PD (2); the rookie aims for a third consecutive game with 5+ tackles, a TFL, and a PD
- The Bears averaged 186.3 passing yards and 119 rushing yards per game on offense in 2023
- The Bears’ defense has allowed 383.3 yards per game, the fifth-most in the league; they have also allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game with 267.8
- The Bears’ defense has surrendered the second-most total points and points per game in the league (137 and 34.3, respectively)
- The Bears’ defense has two total sacks all season, by far the lowest in the league
- As of Thursday, Oct. 5, it has been 346 days since the Bears last won a regular season game
Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders are coming off a close 34-31 overtime loss against the Philadelphia Eagles. After a strong 2-0 start to the season, Washington has lost two consecutive games and sits at 2-2. The Commanders need a win on Thursday night to get their season back on track and improve to 3-2.
Record vs. Chicago: 23-21-1
Most Recent Victory vs. Chicago: 10/13/2022, won 12-7
Record in 2023: 2-2
Notable Injuries: RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Questionable), WR Curtis Samuel (limited in practice)
X-Factors: Secondary, Defensive Line, QB Sam Howell, Wide Receivers
Additional Facts
- QB Sam Howell completed a career-high 70.7 percent of passes in Week 4
- Emmanuel Forbes is one of four rookie DBs with 2+ TFL and 2+ PD; he leads all rookies with 5 PD this season
- Washington averages 201.3 passing yards and 106.5 rushing yards per game on offense
- Washington allows 230 passing yards and 122.5 rushing yards per game on defense
- Washington has also allowed the fourth-most total points and points per game in the league (120 and 30, respectively)
