A 2-2 start under new head coach Ben Johnson was reasonable for the Chicago Bears. After starting last season with a record of 4-2, the team experienced a disappointing 10-game losing streak, which was triggered by a loss to the Washington Commanders on a Hail Mary pass. As a result, the team is now focused on their upcoming Week 5 matchup against the NFC East team. Coming out of the bye, the Bears had ample time to prepare for their opponents, with their focus clear through the first half.
Jumping out to an early 13-0 lead, they forced two turnovers on Washington. The offense, too, was showing consistency, as they moved the ball down the field with relative ease. However, even with the team’s success, one player who wasn’t having a great evening was their first-round pick from last year, Rome Odunze.
What Happened to Rome Odunze?
After an underwhelming rookie season, Odunze was starting to come into his own in the 2025 campaign. After adding 37 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, he had upped his numbers to 259 yards and four touchdowns in the next three weeks.
As a result, he ranked 22nd on PFSN’s WR Impact, the highest among all Chicago wide receivers. But against the Commanders, he was having a rough go of things. Despite being targeted on three separate occasions, he was able to register just one catch.
That accounted for 11 yards and a first down conversion. Even without his production, the Bears had a slight 13-7 advantage over Washington. But the squad would be hoping for elevated numbers from him in the second half to secure a vice grip on the game.
The second half, though, turned into a very competitive affair. Odunze had his second catch of the night right out of the gate, gaining 21 yards on his second reception. However, the rest of the third quarter belonged to their opponents.
After the Commanders secured a 17-16 lead with a Luke McCaffrey touchdown heading near the end of the fourth quarter, Chicago wanted to answer in a hurry. It seemed like they had gotten their wish when Odunze hauled in a spectacular touchdown catch.
Illegal formation on the Bears? Takes away an insane TD catch from Rome Odunze
Guys I’m literally speechless. We are seeing a football game rigged in real time pic.twitter.com/HnEWLj1CMi
— Dave (@dave_bfr) October 14, 2025
But the play was called back due to an illegal formation on the Bears. Unfortunately, that was the end of the night for Odunze’s involvement in the offense, as he did not make any more contributions for the rest of the night.
Instead, the fourth quarter turned into the D’Andre Swift show as he added a spectacular 55-yard touchdown and some key first-down conversions to give the Bears a final-second field goal that gave them a 25-24 win.
