To say that the Chicago Bears turned in a disappointing performance in their Week 1 showdown against their fiercest rivals, the Green Bay Packers, would be an understatement at this point. More than a few players on the roster were not able to play at the level they were expected to in the team’s season opener, which is why it comes as no surprise that they had to settle for a deflating 38-20 loss in their first game of the season.
DJ Moore Flames Out in Chicago Bears Debut
One man, in particular, who was supposed to have a strong debut for Chicago was new recruit DJ Moore, who joined the Bears this summer after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Carolina Panthers. Chicago fans have some high hopes for their new wide receiver, but at this point, it’s safe to say that he was not able to live up to all the hype in Week 1.
Even Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy could not help but agree with this notion. According to the Chicago coach, Moore left a lot to be desired in his debut:
“It was definitely a disappointment,” Getsy said, via team insider Josh Schrock of NBC Sports Chicago. “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. I think, you know, 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.”
In his first game in a Bears uniform, Moore finished with just two catches on two targets for 25 yards. That’s not exactly what Chicago supporters were hoping for.
Chicago Bears OC Luke Getsy Gives DJ Moore Vote of Confidence
Despite his lackluster showing in his first game in Chicago, however, Moore still has the full confidence of his coach. According to Getsy, he remains adamant that the 26-year-old will play a key role for the squad this season:
“I know that guys like him are an important part of our plan each and every week,” Getsy said. “We set up formations and plays and concepts that suit each guy’s abilities, and we make sure that we’re staying focused on getting them the ball as many different ways as possible so defenses can’t settle in on one particular way or one particular alignment.”
Moore will get a great opportunity to bounce back on Sunday when the Bears take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. The former Maryland standout is very familiar with Tampa Bay’s defense after previously playing against them multiple times a year in the NFC South. As a matter of fact, the Bucs are Moore’s favorite opponents. A clear testament to this fact is how he has the most career catches and yards against Tampa Bay than any other team in the league.
Luke Getsy believes that Moore’s experience against the Bucs should give him an edge over their opponents on Sunday, which ultimately, should benefit the Bears:
“I think you reflect on your practice experiences. I think you reflect when you watch the film, and there’s physical evidence,” Getsy said. “I think that all gives you confidence. The good thing is when you watch the film, DJ’s doing a bunch of different stuff. It’s not like it’s just, he’s only catching go-balls or stuff like that. He’s doing a lot of different stuff. I think all that stuff and film study is good for both of [Moore and Justin Fields].”
It goes without saying that there’s going to be even more pressure on Moore to perform in Week 2. We shall all soon find out if he’s up to it.
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