Bears HC Ben Johnson gets real on Jayden Daniels ahead of Commanders clash
Ben Johnson gave his evaluation on the Chicago Bears’ matchup against Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
Johnson is progressing through his first season as the Bears’ head coach. He is experiencing the ups and downs, losing his first two games before bouncing back with victories in the next two contests.
Johnson provided his thoughts on Chicago’s Week 6 matchup against Washington, per reporter Nicki Jhabvala. He noted Daniels’ dangerous skillset being a threat to the team’s defense, knowing that they will need all hands on deck for the encounter.
“He’s dangerous. I think that’s a big reason why their running game is what it is. He strikes a lot of fear in opposing coaches because you look at him like you’ve got to account for him, not just as an accurate passer, not just as a scrambler, but the quarterback-driven run game that they do a lot of. He’s fast, slippery. It’s going to take all 11 guys playing disciplined football to make sure we contain their attack,” Johnson said.
What lies ahead for Ben Johnson, Bears
Ben Johnson knows that facing a Commanders squad that reached the NFC Championship Game with Jayden Daniels leading the way will be tough. He felt it firsthand when Daniels beat him and the 1-seed Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional Round when he was the offensive coordinator there.
Which is why it will be crucial for him and the Bears to have the right game plan to limit Daniels’ overall production. Chicago looks to be a playoff contender, and taking down Washington would be a great step in the right direction.
The Bears are gaining momentum with their last two contests being wins. They beat Dallas 31-14 and Las Vegas 25-24 in Weeks 3 and 4, paving the way for them to start making noise.
The Bears will be on the road when they face the Commanders, taking place on Oct. 13 at 8:15 p.m. ET. After that, they will be at home when they host the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. ET.
Alex Ovechkin returns from Russia and joins Capitals teammates for informal skates
Alex Ovechkin is back on the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
The Washington Capitals captain participated in Tuesday morning’s informal skate, joining a large group of his teammates who have already returned to the Washington, DC area, including Tom Wilson, John Carlson, Dylan Strome, and Connor McMichael.
Capitals players did skills work followed by a five-on-five scrimmage, wrapping up the session with skating work. Ovechkin appeared to be in high spirits and excited to be back, faux-operating as a linesman for a faceoff before dropping the puck to himself and trying to score.
Ovechkin, who turns 40 on September 17, is headed into his 21st season with the Capitals and 17th as the team’s captain. The league’s all-time leading goal scorer sits just three goals away from becoming the first NHL player ever to score 900 goals and just nine games played away from 1,500 in his career.
The 2025-26 campaign is the final year of his contract, and he has said he will likely play out the year before deciding on his future with the club.
Last season, Ovechkin recorded 73 points (44g, 29a) in 65 games for the Capitals, finishing behind only Dylan Strome (82) on the team in overall scoring. He finished third in the NHL in goal scoring with his 44 markers despite breaking his leg and missing 16 games.
The Capitals announced last week that the club’s 2025 Training Camp will begin on Thursday, September 18.
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