Bears vs. Raiders Prediction: Can Williams stay hot against Maxx Crosby?

David Banks - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 8 hours ago

Coming off their first win of 2025, and a big win at that, the Chicago Bears will look to make it two in a row as they head out West to take on the Las Vegas Raiders this week. This is a chance for the Bears not only to win two straight but also to get back to .500, as that would be a massive momentum shift heading into their bye week.

When you compare this Raiders team this season to those in past seasons, you immediately notice the change at the quarterback position, where Geno Smith is now under center. Similar to Sam Darnold and several other quarterbacks who have struggled with the Jets, Smith has come into his own since leaving New York, putting together three strong seasons with the Seahawks before signing with the Raiders this offseason.

Vegas also has one of the best coaches in the game today, as the ageless wonder, Pete Carroll, is back on the sidelines after taking last season off. Carroll may not be the long-term answer in Vegas, but he does hold his team accountable, and you are already starting to see the rewards from that based on how they play. This is going to be a challenging game for the Bears, but one they can win.

Here are some things to look for ahead of the week four matchup between the Bears and the Raiders:

Maxx Crosby vs the Bears O-Line

While there was some significant improvement up front last week when it comes to the Bears' offensive line, that remains an area of concern for this team. As has been the case for the past two seasons, when they can protect Caleb Williams, the young quarterback balls out and at times looks like one of the better quarterbacks in the game.

When they can't protect him, he tries to do too much, and that is when a lot of his issues come into play. Protecting him won't come easily this week, as the Raiders have a very strong pass rush that starts with Crosby. The veteran defensive lineman has emerged as one of the best pass rushers in the game and can take the game over on the defensive side. It will be up to the Bears to neutralize him and prevent him from getting into a nice rhythm.

What next for Williams?

Looking back at last week, there was a ton to like regarding the Bears, especially on the offensive end. Williams played a massive role in that, sparking the Bears' offense with nearly 300 yards passing and a career-best four touchdowns, as he continues to play inspired football.

That was by far Williams' best game under center since coming to the NFL, and that is an encouraging sign if you are a fan of this team. He has always had the tools to be one of the game's best, but like all young quarterbacks, the overall consistency has been an issue, as there are times when Williams lacks the consistency you would expect from a first-round quarterback.

He is starting to see that consistency come, and Ben Johnson is playing a role in that as he is holding a much higher standard for the team in practice this season. The way he approaches his business has helped this team reach its full potential, and Williams is one of the players starting to realize his potential.

Getting off the field

It would be ideal for the Bears' defense to be at full strength, but that won't be the case for quite some time, as the injuries continue to mount for this team from one week to the next. Even then, Chicago has been one of the better teams defensively, but it has been their third-down defense that has been at its best, as they are getting off the field when they need to.

Even if the overall results haven't looked great, allowing 52 points to the Lions in week two will do that to you, but this team is actually the second-best team in the league on third down, as they have held opponents to a conversion rate of just 30.3%.

Compare that to the Raiders, who rank 23rd in that same category at nearly 38%, and the Bears' defense is positioned to get off the field when needed. That alone puts more pressure on the Raiders' defense to make plays, and for what it's worth, they haven't been able to make enough plays so far.

Prediction: BEAR DOWN

Going out West is never an easy task for any team, and that has been the case for the Chicago Bears a lot lately. However, if there is one silver lining to take away, it's that the Bears have had plenty of success against this Raiders team, especially recently.

While the overall record shows the Bears holding a 9-8 advantage, it's their recent history that stands out as they have won three of the last four and five of the previous seven against this Raiders team. That includes a 30-12 victory the last time they met in 2022, which gave the Bears the all-time series lead.

Expect this to be a very entertaining game as you have two quarterbacks playing extremely good football, ready to square off for what could be a season-altering win. While 1-3 doesn't necessarily mean your season is over, 2-2 looks a lot better and puts your team in a better position as the season goes on. Look for the Bears to build on last week's performance with another victory as they head into the Bye Week with a 27-21 win.