Bears need DJ Moore involved more as they try to snap 11-game skid

Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterSep 16, 2023, 06:00 AM ET
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LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The instant chemistry that Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver DJ Moore displayed this offseason went missing during Chicago’s 38-20 season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Moore ran a team-high 38 routes and was targeted twice, a 5.3% target rate that was the lowest of any player in Week 1, according to ESPN Stats and Information. His two targets, which Moore turned into two receptions for 25 yards, were his fewest in a game since 2019. That was Moore’s second season in the NFL when he established himself as a No. 1 receiver with the Panthers.

The fallout from Chicago’s offensive inefficacy centers on Moore’s lack of involvement. How could a player, who was the key piece of a trade package that sent the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina, become an afterthought?

“It was definitely a disappointment,” offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. “There’s a lot of reasons why things happen. Protection could have broke down for a particular play for him. Justin just maybe didn’t see something in a particular way. There’s a lot of things that go into it.

“We definitely are calling plays for DJ, and he knows that and he wasn’t frustrated by any of that. And you know sometimes it’s just the way the coverage dictates to where the quarterback has to go with the football, too.”

Against Green Bay, Moore faced double coverage and frequently drew the matchup of All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander, who lined up across from the wide receiver on 59% of his routes. This Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Moore will see Jamel Dean, against whom he’s never caught a touchdown when he’s been the nearest defender in coverage.

Of course, all top receivers draw the attention of defenses. The Minnesota Vikings targeted Justin Jefferson 13 times Thursday night, and he made 11 catches for 159 yards.

“DJ is an accomplished receiver, and people take note of accomplished receivers,” wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said. “So, we can anticipate that, yes, and we can do a better job of moving him around to make sure he gets his targets.

“We’ve got to adjust as coaches.”

Chicago’s game plan for Green Bay contained a heavy horizontal passing attack that did not take advantage of Moore’s ability to get open down field. In 2022, 27.5% of Moore’s targets traveled at least 20 yards down field and resulted in him ranking ninth in deep ball receiving yards and seventh in targets among all receivers last season.

Of his 38 routes against Green Bay, eight were at least 20 yards. He was not targeted on any of those plays.

Some of that has to do with the lack of time Fields had to find Moore down field. Green Bay pressured the quarterback on 42% of his dropbacks. That played into Fields averaging a career-low 4.1 air yards per attempt against Green Bay, and he was 2-of-5 with a touchdown and a pick-six on passes of 10+ air yards.

“I felt like I was a little bit too conservative at times during the game,” Fields said. “Definitely with guys like DJ and Chase [Claypool] on the outside, if we do have one-on-one on the outside, potentially throwing it up and seeing what happens. With them, they’re great playmakers and they can most likely come up with a 50-50 ball. Definitely want to give them more chances deep down the field.”

Fields’ lack of aggressiveness is highlighted by his one tight-window throw against the Packers. He had the lowest tight-window percentage (9.1%) last season among the 41 quarterbacks with at least 125 pass attempts.

Eberflus said the Bears have emphasized Fields needing to look down field first to find his receivers before taking off and trying to make a play on the run. The quarterback noted this week that he missed an opportunity to connect with Moore on a scramble play late in the Packers game that left the wide receiver open down field.

“You gotta look for the opportunity, and then if it’s not there, then you go,” Eberflus said. “If it is there, then you take your shot.”

Moore has had more success against Tampa Bay – 58 catches for 766 yards and three touchdowns – than any other team he’s faced in his six-year career. The opportunity to get the Bears offense on track starts with consciously putting its top weapon in position to make plays.

“It’s important for us to be able to get the ball to our best skill,” Eberflus said. “Were the plays designed for [Fields] to go there sometimes? Yep. And they had some different coverages rolled up to him at times and different things that they were doing, which some teams are going to do, but we certainly have to find ways to feed DJ and feed our skill.”