No Hail Mary magic this time and Moody's last-play kick lifts the Bears past the Commanders 25-24

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — It wasn't quite the same drama as the Hail Mary that decided these teams' game a year ago, but Caleb Williams and the Bears did get the better of Jayden Daniels and the Commanders on a final-play score Monday night, with Chicago defeating Washington 25-24 with a 38-yard field goal by new kicker Jake Moody.

With D'Andre Swift rushing for 108 yards on 14 carries, and grabbing a pair of receptions for 67 yards — including a 55-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown — the Bears (3-2), coming off their bye, extended their winning streak to three games under first-year coach Ben Johnson.

Washington (3-3) continued its pattern of alternating wins and losses in 2025 and flopped with a chance to pull even with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles atop the NFC East.

The Commanders, so good protecting the ball until now, hurt themselves with three turnovers, matching their total from the first five games.

“You really don't deserve to win many games when you're in that space,” Washington coach Dan Quinn said.

That included Jayden Daniels' first interception of the season, rookie running back Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt's second fumble in two weeks and, most critical of all, a botched handoff between the two that resulted in a fumble as Washington was trying to run out the clock while up 24-22.

That gave Chicago the ball with a little more than three minutes left, and Williams then led the nine-play, 36-yard closing drive that finished with Moody’s fourth field goal of a rainy night. His teammates mobbed him, then raised up off the ground in a mass celebration on the field.

“I got here not too long ago,” Moody said. “But for everybody to embrace me and take me in as one of their own is an amazing feeling.”

Williams and Daniels — both won the Heisman Trophy in college and they entered the NFL together as the top two overall selections in the 2024 draft — are now 1-1 against each other as pros.

“You play versus great players, you want to have those games, have those moments, where you’re playing versus somebody else on the opposite side, where you’re going to have a battle," Williams said. "He knows that. I know that.”

Moody, signed off the practice squad because Cairo Santos was out with an injured quadriceps, made field goals from 47 and 48 yards in the first quarter and 41 in the third. But he had a 48-yard attempt blocked on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

Moody was cut by the San Francisco 49ers — who drafted him in the third round in 2023 — this September after two missed attempts in Week 1.

“It's always good to have a fresh start,” Moody said. "I always believed in myself."

Williams finished 17 for 29 for 252 yards through the air, with the TD pass to Swift that was helped by a whiffed tackle along the sideline by Washington safety Quan Martin.

“That one stings,” Quinn said.

Williams also ran for a score.

Daniels ended up 19 for 26 for 211 yards and a trio of TD tosses.

“I’m not going to sit up here and blame it on the elements,” Daniels said when asked whether the weather played a role in the miscue between him and Croskey-Merritt. “I had a lack of focus there and it cost us the game.”

It was 50 weeks ago that Washington defeated Chicago 18-15 on a final-play, 52-yard TD pass from Daniels to Noah Brown.

That play is known as the “Hail Maryland” around these parts and as “Fail Mary” among Bears fans — and it sent Washington on a path that led to the conference title game, while beginning a 10-game losing streak for Chicago.

Bears: WR D.J. Moore was going to stay overnight in the Washington area for precautionary medical attention, the Bears said after the game. ... LB Noah Sewell was ruled out with a concussion in the second quarter.

Commanders: Daniels was without two of this top three receivers: Brown, who sat out his fourth game in a row with knee and groin issues, and Terry McLaurin, sidelined for a third straight week with a quad muscle issue. ... DE Dorance Armstrong hurt his hamstring but returned in the third quarter and picked up his sixth sack of the season. He then left again.

Chicago returns home to face the NFC-worst New Orleans Saints (1-5) on Sunday, when Washington plays at the rival Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1).

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift celebrates a run during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz (86) and quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrate connecting for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) celebrates a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Washington Commanders safety Quan Martin (20) rolls through the play Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) as Williams scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody has his field goal attempt blocked during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Chicago Bears kicker Jake Moody (16) kicks the game-winning field goal as time expires in an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Clayton Kershaw isn't done pitching just yet, agreeing Thursday to join the U.S. team for this year's World Baseball Classic.

The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner wanted to pitch for the Americans in the 2023 tournament but was prevented because of insurance issues. He had a $20 million, one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time.

“I was too broken for the insurance to cover my arm and everything,” Kershaw said on MLB Network, “so now that it doesn't matter I get to go and be a part of this group.”

A left-hander who turns 38 two days after the March 17 championship game, Kershaw announced last September that he was retiring at the end of the season, his 18th in a stellar career for the Dodgers. He won his third World Series title and finished 223-96 with a 2.53 ERA and 3,052 strikeouts.

“I just want to be the insurance policy,” Kershaw said. “If anybody needs a breather or if they need me to pitch back-to-back-to-back or if they don’t need me to pitch at all, I’m just there to be there. I just want to be a part of this group.”

Later Thursday, new Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman announced he will join the U.S. team.

When Kershaw received a call from U.S. manager Mark DeRosa, he thought he was being invited as a coach.

“I didn't have a whole lot of interest in picking up a baseball again," Kershaw said. “I started throwing 10, 12 days ago and it doesn’t feel terrible, so I think I’ll be OK.”

Kershaw joins a U.S. pitching staff that includes right-handers David Bednar, Clay Holmes, Griffin Jax, Nolan McLean, Mason Miller, Joe Ryan, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb along with left-handers Tarik Skubal and Gabe Speier.

The American roster also includes catchers Cal Raleigh and Will Smith; infielders Ernie Clement, Gunnar Henderson, Brice Turang and Bobby Witt Jr.; outfielders Byron Buxton, Corbin Carroll, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Aaron Judge; and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

The U.S., which lost the 2023 championship game to Japan, opens March 6 against Brazil at Houston, part of a group that also includes Britain, Italy and Mexico.

Shohei Ohtani struck out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout to end Japan's 3-2 win in the 2023 championship. Kershaw doesn't anticipate facing Ohtani, his teammate for the Dodgers' World Series titles in 2024 and 2025.

“I think something will have gone terribly wrong if I have to pitch against team Japan in the finals or something. I think we got plenty of guys to get that guy out and not me,” Kershaw said. “But if that happens, I'll be nervous. I'll be nervous at this point.”

AP baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw celebrates the end of the top of the 12th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of baseball's World Series, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)