LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- Since Norv Turner became coach in 1995, the Washington Redskins are 0-5-1 the week after playing Dallas. This week, the letdown factor could loom bigger than ever.

Still smarting from their new owner's angry antics after last week's 18-point loss to the Cowboys in a game for first place in the NFC East, the Redskins (4-2) move from the top of the marquee to off-off-Broadway on Sunday to face the Chicago Bears (3-4). The Bears are improved from last year, but riding a two-game losing streak.

"It's not a game that has the significance that the Cowboys game had," Washington guard Tre Johnson said. "In the past, we would lose this game because we lost the Cowboys game and go through a little downward spiral. We've got to avoid that."

With the Redskins favored by more than a touchdown, this is a game where motivation could be as important as whether to play zone or man-to-man. After the players were chastised at length in the Texas Stadium locker room last week by new owner Dan Snyder, Turner has talked about being more prepard for the next "big game."

But playing the Bears doesn't fall in that category. The big reason for winning this one, according to the coach, is that it's at home.

"We're at home four of our next five weeks," Turner said. "Each one of these home games is critical. Any team that wants to play in the playoffs, any team that wants to have success once they get there, you have to win at home."

The Bears are on a different plane altogether. After back-to-back 4-12 seasons, a promising 3-2 start under new coach Dick Jauron was slowed by injuries to quarterback Shane Matthews and receiver Curtis Conway. Matthews is expected to start against the Redskins, providing a boost to an offense that scored just three points and gained only 225 yards last week at Tampa Bay.

"We've got to get back to .500," center Olin Kreutz said. "Like Coach Jauron said, our goal is to get to the playoffs, and we think we can get there."

If there was ever a time for the Bears attack to revitalize itself, this is it. The Redskins are ranked 30th in total defense, and Snyder appears poised to fire defensive coordinator Mike Nolan if there's another porous performance.

"I don't care what their rank is," said Bobby Engram, the team's leading receiver during Conway's absence. "Whatever, they have a lot of athletes on the defensive side of the football."

Conversely, the matchup of the stingy Bears defense vs. the top-rated Redskins offense should be a good one. The Redskins are scoring about twice as many points per game (32.3) are the Bears are allowing (16.1).

The Bears haven't allowed a touchdown in six quarters, and they lead the league with 13 turnovers forced off fumbles. They have 22 sacks, while the Redskins have allowed only eight. Each of the Bears' games has been decided by seven points or fewer.

While the Redskins might be perceived as starting the soft part of their schedule, the Bears are in the second week of a great NFL cross-country tour -- five road games in six weeks, from Washington to San Diego. By the time Soldier Field feels like home again in December, Jauron's hopes for an amazing first-year turnaround will probably be long decided.

"The attitude has been great," Jauron said. "The problem is we've got to accumulate more wins."

CHICAGO Season schedule and results

WASHINGTON Season schedule and results

September 12 Kansas City W 20-17 September 19 Seattle L 13-14 September 26 @Oakland L 17-24 October 3 New Orleans W 14-10 October 10 @Minnesota W 24-22 October 17 Philadelphia L 16-20 October 24 @Tampa Bay L 3-6 October 31 @Washington 1:00pm ET November 7 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET November 14 Minnesota 1:00pm ET November 21 @San Diego 4:15pm ET November 25 @Detroit 12:40pm ET December 5 Green Bay 1:00pm ET December 19 Detroit 1:00pm ET December 26 @St. Louis 1:00pm ET January 2 Tampa Bay 1:00pm ET

September 12 Dallas L 35-41 September 19 @NY Giants W 50-21 September 26 @NY Jets W 27-20 October 3 Carolina W 38-36 October 17 @Arizona W 24-10 October 24 @Dallas L 20-38 October 31 Chicago 1:00pm ET November 7 Buffalo 1:00pm ET November 14 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 21 NY Giants 4:15pm ET November 28 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET December 5 @Detroit 1:00pm ET December 12 Arizona 1:00pm ET December 19 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET December 26 @San Francisco 8:20pm ET January 2 Miami 4:15pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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