The Washington Commanders surprised many around the league by winning double-digit games for the first time since 2012 and coming one victory away from reaching the Super Bowl. Now, there are higher expectations for the squad in the second year of the Jayden Daniels era.

The Commanders will have a tougher schedule this year by virtue of finishing second in the NFC East. Super Bowl contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions loom later in the year along with talented teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers. They will also experience a dramatic increase in travel miles, which includes a trip to Europe to play the Miami Dolphins.

Now that the season is on the horizon, Commanders.com is going to break down each of Washington's opponents. We'll move on to the Chicago Bears, who expect Caleb Williams to make a significant jump in his second season.

Game information

Date: Oct. 13
Time: 8:15 p.m.
Location: Northwest Stadium

Individual stat leaders

• Passing Yards -- QB Caleb Williams (3,541)
• Passing TDs -- QB Caleb Williams (20)
• Rushing Yards -- RB D'Andre Swift (959)
• Rushing TDs -- RB D'Andre Swift (6)
• Receiving Yards -- WR DJ Moore (966)
• Receiving TDs -- WR Keenan Allen (7)
• Tackles -- S Kevin Byard (130)
• Sacks -- DE Montez Sweat (5.5)
• Interceptions -- CB Tyrique Stevenson and CB Jaylon Johnson (2)

Key additions

• OL Joe Thuney (trade)
• C Drew Dalman (free agency)
• G Jonah Jackson (trade)
• WR Colston Loveland (draft)
• WR Luther Burden (draft)

Key questions

• Can the new-look offensive line protect Caleb Williams? Pressure was one of Williams' biggest problems during his rookie season. The Bears allowed 68 sacks last season, which led the league while Williams' passing grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 49th while under duress. The Bears knew that could not continue, which is why they traded for two-time All-Pro Thuney as well as Jackson, a former Pro Bowler who spent last season with the Los Angeles Rams. Add Dalman to the mix, and that should make for an upgraded offensive interior that could make life easier for Williams. Of course, Williams will still need to adjust his game to the NFL -- his scrambling and improvisation contribute to him holding the ball for an average of 2.92 seconds, which tied for ninth in the league -- but the combination of Thuney, Jackson and Dalman should give him plenty of time to make decisions. Either way, the improved protection should be a welcome change for the Bears, who have ranked in the top 10 in terms of sacks allowed every year since 2020.
• Can Ben Johnson get the most out of Williams? Johnson has been one of the most coveted offensive minds in football because of how he elevated Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions' offense. The Bears hired him with the hopes that he could do the same with Williams, who had a solid rookie season with 3,541 yards (that was the fifth best single-season performance in franchise history) and a 62.5% completion rate. Johnson's resume is a promising sign; Goff had his best years with Johnson as his offensive coordinator, while the Lions have boasted one of the league's most innovative and productive offenses. Williams has more natural talent than Goff, but he needs to fine tune some of his mechanics. If Johnson can get Williams out of some of his college habits, the Bears could have a fun offense in 2025.
• How will the offensive weapons work together? On paper, the Bears have a stacked offense with Moore, Rome Odunze and Burden at receiver with Cole Kmet and Loveland at tight end. Swift is not quite what he was earlier in his career, but he was the Bears' workhorse last season and nearly reached 1,000 yards for the second time in his career. Of course, the Bears had several of those weapons last season and had the last-ranked offense with a 285.6-yard average and scored just 18.2 points per game. Loveland and Burden were some of the best offensive weapons available in the draft, so it's possible Johnson can figure out ways to get them open and create more opportunities for the other pass-catchers. There is plenty of potential on Chicago's offense, and it could make them a potent team when it gets in stride. It will be on Johnson to maximize that talent.