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Courtney Cronin
CHICAGO — One week after finishing with the worst receiving output of his career, DJ Moore sparked the Chicago Bears’ aerial attack against the NFL’s top pass defense in a 31-3 rout of the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Moore caught four passes for 69 yards and two touchdowns, his second game with multiple receiving touchdowns this season.
«About damn time, man,» Moore said after receiving a game ball as the Bears celebrated their 10th win in the locker room.
After the Bears’ 28-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 14, coach Ben Johnson said he was «surprised» by Moore’s stat line — the 28-year-old receiver was targeted three times at Lambeau Field and finished with one catch for -4 yards. As discourse mounted about Moore’s decline in production and role in the Chicago offense, Johnson said Friday he «absolutely» wants to get the veteran receiver the ball more often.
Rome Odunze ruled out before kickoff after reaggravating a foot injury and the Bears losing Luther Burden III (6 catches, 84 yards) to an ankle injury late in the third quarter, there were more opportunities for Moore to get involved in the passing game.
«He’s been playing this way every week,» Johnson said Sunday. «It’s just we haven’t been able to get the ball in his hands. We were able to target him a few more times, and he came through with some big plays for us. Sometimes these things come in bunches. You kind of have a dry spell, and then all of a sudden, he could come on hot here over the next three games and just really take off. That’s the way it tends to happen, which would be a good thing for us.»
The turning point Sunday came with 8:53 left in the third quarter when Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson intercepted Shedeur Sanders deep in Browns territory.
One play later, Williams connected with Moore on a scramble drill touchdown that traveled 22 yards and had a completion probability of 16.1%, according to Next Gen Stats. It was the most improbable completion by a Bears quarterback over the past five seasons.
Williams took a pass out of the shotgun and rolled to his right. Before he reached the Browns’ sideline, the quarterback launched a deep ball across his body to the back of the end zone where he found Moore between two Cleveland defenders.
«He makes a lot of throws that other people can’t,» Moore said of Williams. «When we got to the sideline he was like, ‘I’m just going to give you a chance,’ and that’s what he did with a high-back five ball and the rest is history.»
Tight end Cole Kmet, who Williams said was his primary read on the throw that resulted in Moore’s touchdown, marveled in amazement at the sequence.
«Isn’t that an ill-advised throw?» Kmet joked. «That was unbelievable. It just shows off why he was the No. 1 overall pick and just a special play that I don’t know how many guys in the league could be able to make that throw.»
When asked postgame whether that was indeed an ill-advised throw, Williams expressed confidence saying, «No, I can make any throw.»
Moore made the most of his five targets and topped 60 receiving yards for the first time since Chicago’s win over Pittsburgh on Nov. 23. When asked whether he needed a performance like the one he turned in Sunday, Moore pointed to the benefit his production could provide in quieting the narrative around his season.
«Will it shut y’all up?» Moore asked reporters postgame. «It felt good. Always good to score at home, especially twice, and this time I’m not going to get fined.»
