The Chicago Bears offense couldn’t find any traction through the season’s first three games. They scored 57 total points while quarterback Justin Fields threw more interceptions than touchdowns. While people discussed who might get fired in the near future, there were discussions behind closed doors about what could be done to get the offense out of the mud. Fields decided to lean on offensive coordinator Luke Getsy with one adjustment that had to be made.
If nothing else, they had to get D.J. Moore the football more.
“My biggest thing to Luke is anytime we can give him the ball, get him the ball. One, he’s a great receiver — we all know that — but two, you know, is to just put the football in his hands. He’s able to make guys miss. Anytime you can get him the ball, it’s always going to be good for us.”
It sounds overly simplistic, but that’s the NFL. Get the ball into the hands of your best players and let them do their thing. Moore had 15 total targets through the first three games. While he did manage 170 yards and a touchdown, it felt like the Bears weren’t featuring him enough. That changed starting with the game against Denver. Over a five-day span, Moore was targeted 19 times. He collected 16 catches for 361 yards and four touchdowns. Chicago scored a combined 68 points in those games. His 230-yard, 3-TD outburst in Washington was crucial in the Bears finally winning their first game in almost a year.
Justin Fields has always understood feeding the beasts.
He pretty much did that all the time at Ohio State with Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Every quarterback would love to spread the ball to ten different receivers and keep defenses guessing. However, sometimes, the right thing to do is throw it to the superstar and dare the opponent to stop it. Washington could not. Moore did whatever he wanted all night. It is a safe assumption that Chicago will continue forward with this tactic until opposing defenses figure out a solution.
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Once they start devoting more coverages to stopping him, that will open up opportunities for everybody else. Cole Kmet has already benefitted from Moore’s presence, with three touchdowns in the past two games. Darnell Mooney hasn’t gotten going yet, but he’s been open several times. It’s scary to think Justin Fields still might not be playing his best football. This is why the Bears traded for Moore. They felt he could change the landscape of their passing game. At last, they’ve decided to fully embrace it.
