2 early keys for the Chicago Bears' Week 8 game against Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are one of the NFL's biggest surprises this season. They are coming off a 40-7 victory over the Carolina Panthers (largely without their promising young quarterback as Jaden Daniels left the game in the first quarter) and are clicking on all cylinders.

On the other hand, the Bears are also a team no one wants to go up against right now, as they have found their groove during their current three-game win streak. It's no wonder the NFL flexed their upcoming matchup to the 3:25 timeslot where they will have more eyes on them.

If you pay any attention to NFL Twitter/X (I wouldn't blame you one bit if you didn't...), then you might think the Commanders and Bears have a rivalry that has spanned decades. In actuality, it is the result of the passionate fanbases (even if one was largely in hibernation before their first promising season in what feels like ages) of two teams that selected promising quarterbacks at the top of the class.

We may have to wait for the Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels matchup, as the latter is reportedly week-to-week with a rib injury. It would obviously be a huge break for the Bears if he were to take the week off, but the Commanders' game plan will stay relatively similar even if veteran Marcus Mariota is under center (as we saw against the Panthers).

The two signal-callers are obvious headliners for the upcoming matchup, and it feels safe to say that the winner will come down to whichever rookie outplays the other. However, there are a handful of factors to keep an eye on that should help the Bears accomplish that goal.

Slow down their running game.

If there is one area where the Commanders have a clear edge over the Bears, it would be their ability to run the football. They have been the third-best rushing offense in the league, averaging over 160 yards on the ground per game.

While the Bears' defense has performed admirably through the first six games, they have been middle against the run (they rank 11th with 112 yards allowed per game and have allowed 4.6 yards per carry). You could also argue that their standing in that regard would be even worse if they didn't have such a massive lead over the Panthers and Jaguars, as both teams were largely forced to abandon the run after halftime.

Stopping the Commanders' running game will also put them into an advantageous position when it comes to the passing game. Regardless of who is under center, keeping them behind the sticks would get them out of their comfort zone, which would go a long way to stall their offense.

Their ground attack will be easier to defend if Daniels is ruled out (although it feels safe to say they won't run him heavily while nursing bruised ribs). It would also be more important to do so in that case, as they would surely make it more of a focal point. Mariota has also thrived off play action throughout his career, so running well could leave the Bears susceptible on the back end.

Start cashing in big plays in the passing game.

This one feels obvious. If there is one area I'm hoping the Bears improve following the bye week, it would be their deep passing attack. Besides the sub-par level of competition Chicago has faced in recent weeks, that's really the only thing Williams' doubters use to bolster their argument (although I fully expect them to keep moving the goalposts even after that excuse has become null and void).

They have been so close to a handful of big plays in the passing game only to fall just a bit short (or too long) of the completion. They need to start hitting those plays when they're there if they want to come out on top during the difficult stretch run featuring the NFC North gauntlet.

The Ravens laid the blueprint on how to not only beat the Commanders' defense, but dismantle it. I'm confident Shane Waldron diligently studied that game during the bye week (after all, the Panthers didn't offer much substance in that regard). In that game, the Commanders gave up a season-high 13 plays of 15 yards or more. They gashed them with big plays left and right, and Washington didn't really have an answer for how to stop them.

The Bears have the personnel that indicates they should be able to field a strong deep passing game. It's time they start playing like it and get the most out of their potentially potent air attack.