Tag: D.j. moore

Packers’ Xavier McKinney questioning D.J. Moore’s character is just cruelly kicking the Bears while they’re down

Everything Xavier McKinney said is true because the Bears are hopeless.

Amid a catastrophic three-game losing streak, nothing is going well for the crumbling Chicago Bears right now. They haven’t scored a touchdown since before Halloween, head coach Matt Eberflus’ seat is hotter than ever, and there were questions about potentially benching No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.

In other words, things couldn’t possibly be worse for a Bears team that looked like an NFC playoff dark horse just three weeks ago.

Enter Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney to kick the Bears while they’re down.

In an interview with The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, McKinney took aim at Bears No. 1 receiver D.J. Moore’s questionable effort on a scramble drill play during a blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals earlier this season. He didn’t appreciate Moore brushing him off in the offseason and saw fit to rip the Bears’ apparent No. 1 receiver for quitting in the middle of a play as the Packers get ready for Chicago this Sunday.

Honestly, is McKinney wrong? What are we doing here? I get the current NFL interception leader felt (rightfully) disrespected, but he says these kinds of things as if the Bears don’t have enough problems in themselves.

More from The Athletic:

“I hope so, but I don’t give a damn about what he knows,” McKinney said about Moore’s dismissive offseason comments. “This dude walked out on … I’ve been playing (NFL) football for five years now, and I’ve been watching football for longer than that, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a … You’re supposed to be the guy, and you’re just walking off the field. You’re walking off the field on a rookie quarterback that you’ve been praising, so it’s like, that’s a whole other story.”
You know what really stings about McKinney calling Moore’s character into question? Knowing the Bears won’t do anything about it. Not one modicum of fight. There isn’t a single player on Chicago’s active roster that has beaten the Packers as a Bear. The Bears also haven’t beaten Green Bay once this decade. Most of the time, the games in this “rivalry” lately resemble a glorified scrimmage for the Packers.
The Bears are already in the NFL’s dark abyss by their own doing. Nothing some Packers veteran says will do anything to make their suffering or frustration any worse.

D.J. Moore’s excuse for walking off field mid-play directly contradicts Matt Eberflus’ explanation

What’s this all about?

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:

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”?

More from Pro Football Talk:

“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:

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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D.J. Moore walking off field mid-play shows Bears really are quitting on Matt Eberflus

D.J. Moore really quit on the Bears in the middle of a play.

In case it wasn’t clear, D.J. Moore is unhappy with the Chicago Bears’ direction under offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. But it sure seems like he’s pretty frustrated with fledgling head coach Matt Eberflus, too.

How else could you possibly explain Moore seemingly quitting on a Bears’ offensive play … as it was still happening?!

A replay of an early first-quarter sequence in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals shows Moore apparently tweaking something and walking off the field to sit on the bench as Caleb Williams was still orchestrating a Chicago scramble drill. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before from an NFL player, let alone from someone with a star reputation like Moore.

I understand Moore might have been hurt and is likely a little frustrated by the Bears’ offense this year. But I can’t excuse a player walking off the field mid-play. And none of the potential excuses really add up for me, either.

Did Moore think Williams stepped out of bounds? I don’t think so because he’s staring right at him as he spins back toward the field.

Did Moore perhaps step out of bounds and thus take himself off because he would’ve been an ineligible receiver? This is more plausible, but the margins from where Moore was standing are so minuscule that you keep playing and take the penalty after the fact, only if necessary. It’s almost like he’d be looking for an excuse to leave early.

Unless you’re seriously hurt, you play to the whistle. Always and without question.

Was Moore dialed in with Williams and his other offensive teammates?

OK, well, this is probably the one and the whole point of me writing a few hundred words about this instance. It’s the first quarter of your first game after a disastrous Hail Mary loss. Not coming prepared to play so much that you kind of just wave the white flag on a play because of a lack of engagement is unacceptable. It speaks to a rotten culture the Bears have let persist.

I already thought the Bears’ players quit on Eberflus with their generally pathetic effort on Sunday. To me, this Moore play — from one of the apparent leaders on the team — is damning evidence of that assessment.

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D.J. Moore answered question about Bears’ playcaller changes like a true politician

D.J. Moore is clearly unhappy with the Bears’ coaches.

A once-promising season for the 2024 Chicago Bears is now in a full-on tailspin. After Sunday’s pathetic effort against the Arizona Cardinals in a blowout loss, it seems pretty apparent that Bears players have begun quitting on milquetoast head coach Matt Eberflus.

One of the biggest reasons for the Bears’ struggles lately — and really, all season — has been an inept offense with no rhyme or reason. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron (who also calls the plays) has overseen an attack that has scored seven total first-quarter points all season. Over the last two weeks alone, the Bears’ offense somehow made the Washington Commanders’ and Cardinals’ awful defenses look like stout juggernauts.

But if you ask receiver D.J. Moore about whether someone else should call the plays for the Bears’ offense moving forward — as Chicago radio station 670 The Score did on Monday morning — he thinks it won’t happen.

Hey, wait a minute. The question was about whether they should, not whether they will. Oh. Got it:

D.J. Moore knows exactly what he’s doing when he doesn’t really address the question there. He’s subtly inserting his opinion that Waldron hasn’t been good enough by explaining why he won’t be replaced without actually saying it in certain terms. Spoken like a true politician.

Beyond the Bears’ offense’s general issues, it’s not hard to see why Moore would be frustrated. As a genuine No. 1 receiver, Chicago hasn’t found a way to involve its best playmaker consistently and productively all season. A year after catching nearly 100 passes for over 1,300 yards, Moore is on pace for less than 800 yards in 2024 while averaging just over 10 yards a catch.

(Note: The same principle applies to talented tight end Cole Kmet, who weirdly has just one target over the last two weeks after being on a Pro Bowl-caliber pace through the Bears’ first six games.)

You tell me what’s more likely. Did a 27-year-old elite receiver like Moore suddenly fall off a cliff, or does his new offensive coordinator have no idea how to utilize him?

Hmm, a real tough one here.

It’s no wonder Moore didn’t endorse Waldron and instead said why the Bears won’t move any chairs on their ship deck around. He’s exasperated with his role and how his unit is playing, and I can’t blame him.

D.J. Moore jokingly praised Caleb Williams’ bossiness after a reporter’s suggestive question

D.J. Moore loves Caleb Williams’ bossiness, but not like THAT.

For a rookie quarterback, Caleb Williams has come a long way over the last month for the Chicago Bears. In the midst of a decisive Chicago three-game winning streak, Williams has quickly become one of the NFL’s most effective, efficient, and dynamic signal-callers. He’s even already breaking Bears rookie records.

For all intents and purposes, Williams is starting to live up to his potential as a No. 1 pick. He really might be the Bears’ Lisan al Gaib.

According to star receiver D.J. Moore, part of Williams’ recent ascent comes from him being more openly “bossy.” As in, he’s been taking more charge of the Bears’ offense and taking more ownership of the unit’s success and general organization as the starting quarterback.

That’s fantastic news for Moore, the rest of Williams’ Bears teammates, and Bears fans.

The only catch in Moore’s discussion with the reporter who asked about Williams’ growing leadership is the follow-up wondering whether the quarterback’s bossiness “pleases” the receiver.

With perfect delivery and hesitation, Moore hilariously bristled at this suggestive question:

Yeah, man, it’s just football. It’s just a game. We don’t need to potentially veer into consensual kinks (not that there’s anything wrong with that! No shame here!).

At any rate, with funny little exchanges like this, it seems apparent the vibes are off the charts with the Bears right now.

A Chicago-area Costco is apparently selling badly Photoshopped Caleb Williams signs

These Costco signs did Caleb Williams really dirty.

If you’re a Chicago Bears fan, it’s easy to get excited about the potential future with Caleb Williams. The No. 1 pick has already broken a major Bears rookie record and is doing intelligent things like measuring the wind at Soldier Field. For a guy with just five starts, he’s everything Bears fans could’ve hoped for to this point.

But the next time you go to your local Costco in the Chicagoland area looking for some Williams-related swag, you might want to examine what you’re buying very, very closely. According to the Twitter account Six Points Sports (@SixPointSports), a Chicago-area Costco is selling a teammate wall art sign featuring Williams and his No. 1 receiver, D.J. Moore.

There’s just one problem.

If you look closely at the Bears player wearing an 18 jersey on the sign, it’s not actually Williams. Not even close. It’s former Bears first-round pick Justin Fields … with an “8” doctored onto his jersey. Come on, man:

https://twitter.com/sixpointsports/status/1844247555879874968?s=46

I don’t know whose idea this sign was, but it’s the definition of brazen laziness. It’s almost certainly hoping someone who doesn’t follow the Bears closely — and, as such, likely doesn’t actually know what Williams looks like aside from the fact that he wears an “18” jersey — makes a mistake and buys it as a gift for a diehard fan in their life.

What a brutal look for whichever Chicago Costco tried this.

Mics caught Caleb Williams smartly measuring heavy wind for his perfect deep TD pass to D.J. Moore

Caleb Williams was clearly born to be the Bears’ QB.

The more time passes, the more Caleb Williams looks comfortable in his own skin as the Chicago Bears quarterback. While it’s still early to make a definitive judgment on the exact kind of NFL player the rookie No. 1 pick will be, he keeps showing us eye-opening signs he was probably born to be a star quarterback for the league’s charter franchise.

On Sunday, it was Williams taking the elements into account — namely, the customary heavy wind at Soldier Field — before dropping an absolute dime to star receiver D.J. Moore. NFL Films captured Williams smartly using a water bottle to gauge the wind’s direction and how he’d have to aim a pass to pitch the idea of a deep route to Moore right before their connection.

Because of course he did. That’s what any smart, forward-thinking quarterback would do. (Psst: it can obviously be very windy in Chicago. This is a great thought and skill to have if you play there regularly.)

It worked out exactly as intended.

I mean, my goodness. It’s hard not to think the Bears have finally found their first truly great franchise quarterback in history after seeing a cool little clip like this. Williams really might be The One.

Caleb Williams’ beautiful deep TD pass to D.J. Moore shows how quickly the Bears QB has grown

Caleb Williams already looks so mature and confident.

Through the first month of the 2024 NFL season, it would’ve been fair to describe Caleb Williams’ play as a work in progress. Overall, the Chicago Bears offense struggled to consistently gain meaningful traction, even though Williams really did make meaningful progress each week.

All of that changed during a barnstorming offensive performance against the Carolina Panthers in Week 5.

In the first half alone, the Bears scored a touchdown on four of six possessions. Williams, in particular, was very sharp, staying consistently in rhythm while getting big chunk plays when he could.

With the Bears looking for a final first-half dagger, Williams saved his best of the first half for last on a beautiful deep touchdown pass to D.J. Moore:

Everything about Williams’ rapid growth was on display here. What began as play design for veteran Keenan Allen saw Williams simply work through his progressions to drop a dime in the bucket to Moore. It was the definition of perfect quarterbacking.

If this is how Williams grows through just five games, imagine how he’ll look at the end of the year.

D.J. Moore, Caleb Williams making Panthers pay for trade

The Panthers continue to pay for what has turned into a brutal trade

The Carolina Panthers know how bad the trade that gave them the first overall pick in 2023 has turned out.

The NFC South doormats chose Bryce Young, who is on the bench.

Among other goodies, the Chicago Bears got D.J. Moore and chose Caleb Williams with the first pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

On Sunday, the Panthers learned firsthand what they gave up. The price they paid, oh the price they paid.

Moore had three receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Williams threw for 200 yards and said touchdown passes as Chicago built a 27-7 lead at the break.

D.J. Moore maturely took responsibility for slowing down on a missed Caleb Williams TD throw

D.J. Moore has Caleb Williams’ back.

The Chicago Bears may have pieced together their most complete game of the season on Sunday in a 24-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams. But while the 2-2 Bears are starting to show more cohesion, it’s pretty clear that much of their operation is still a work in progress.

READ MORE: D.J. Moore denied talking trash about Caleb Williams during SNF loss

One of those critical niches is the developing connection between Caleb Williams and No. 1 receiver D.J. Moore. Through four games, while we see flashes now and then, there have been more than a few instances where it’s apparent that these two must still work on their chemistry. The best example from Sunday was Moore slowing down on a route toward the end zone where he thought he was just supposed to run a clear.

Williams, on the other hand, went through his progressions and put it in a place only his receiver could catch it for what should have been a touchdown.

Unfortunately, Moore slowed down and gave up on the play, and the Bears had to settle for a field goal at the end of the first half:

After the play, Moore and Williams were seen discussing what went wrong and how they would try to rectify it later in the game:

This conversation clearly paid off with immediate dividends, as Williams delivered an absolute laser throw to Moore in the fourth quarter for the duo’s first-ever touchdown together:

On Monday, in his usual interview with 670 The Score, Moore took responsibility for Williams missing him on the initial throw.

It’s a mature perspective from a veteran receiver still working out the kinks with the hopeful future face of the franchise:

Yes, Williams to Moore is a work in progress for the Bears. But it’s nice to see tiny real-time glimpses like that show they’re coming along in the right way. And when/if they finally have everything down pat, the rest of the NFL better watch out.