After the Chicago Bears’ uninspired, lazy effort against the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, the football world turned its ire to No. 1 receiver D.J. Moore for seemingly quitting on Chicago by walking off the field in the middle of a play. It was a terrible look for one of the Bears’ leaders in the wake of a tough couple of weeks for the team.
Moore’s explanation for the sequence doesn’t make things any better. At all.
On Wednesday, Bears media reporters asked Moore to clarify what happened on the play. He claimed he got hurt (which appears to be true) and that … “momentum” (?) carried him out of bounds even when he saw Caleb Williams was still scrambling around, looking for an open receiver. Moore, of course, kind of just trailed off before denying that the online conversation about the play meant anything.
Something doesn’t add up here because that’s not what the video of the play shows with Moore slowing down (who comes to a full stop then turns out of bounds), either:
It is what it is…
Trying to turn that play/film into I’m a tough guy narrative fighting through a hurtie ankle is a choice—good luck with that.
If you wanna see somebody fighting through an ankle mid play, go watch Caleb on the second to last play of the game. Besides for it… pic.twitter.com/cDwrhpA6Sy
— The QB School (@theqbschool) November 6, 2024
Hmm. OK. Let’s say we buy that Moore was purely injured and couldn’t beat the laws of physics. Sure, whatever. Then why did Bears head coach Matt Eberflus initially say that Moore walked off the field because a referee threw their hat down, signaling that he was an “ineligible receiver”?
“I’m not sure the exact play but I do know that one play he [Moore] stepped out of bounds, and I think the side judge threw his hat, he was out, so I believe that’s what happened,” Eberflus said. “I have to watch the play specifically but I think that might be the play you’re talking about. I don’t know exact play, what you’re talking about, but somebody did make a comment to me. I have to go back and look at it.”
He “believes” that’s what happened? I wouldn’t exactly say Eberflus was confident in his answer, either. And it’s worth noting he didn’t mention anything about Moore’s ankle until days later:
Matt Eberflus said DJ Moore rolled his ankle on the 1st quarter play where he left the field while Caleb Williams was still scrambling. "That’s what I saw and that’s what it was."
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) November 6, 2024
Yeah, while I’m sure Moore might have really rolled his ankle, none of this feels like it tracks.
If the Bears had been on the same page, they might have had their stories straight, and no one would have batted an eyelash. But that’s not the case. Between Eberflus meekly attributing the sequence to something about being an ineligible receiver only to later walk that explanation back and Moore claiming he couldn’t beat the laws of physics on a play where he walked off in a casual manner, it sure seems like Moore did leave the Bears’ offense to its own devices. I’m just connecting the dots.
However, anyone admitting that in public would be a horrific development for a Bears season already going off the rails. And they know that. So, next time, maybe Eberflus and Moore meet up to talk about what they will say to the media. That would be the prudent thing to do for a united team.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure Eberflus has that pull with any of his players right now.
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