Bears wide receiver DJ Moore spent some time on Wednesday explaining why he left the field during a play against the Cardinals in last Sunday’s loss, but that singular moment hasn’t been the biggest issue with Moore’s performance this season.
When the Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams, there was a lot of talk about how Moore and the rest of the team’s skill position players set the rookie up for success. The production hasn’t met those offseason hopes, however.
The Bears are 29th in the league in passing yards and 19th in points scored with Moore catching 37 passes for 374 yards after posting 96 catches for 1,364 yards during his first season in Chicago. The lack of connection has been even more pronounced in the last three games as Moore has 10 catches for 80 yards and the topic led off Williams’ press conference on Wednesday.
“Obviously it’s not in a place, from the past games, a place where we would like it,” Williams said. “Both of us. It’s frustrating. You’ve got a guy that’s so special, and not being able to connect and hit on certain passes is frustrating for myself. I know it’s frustrating for him because, as a wide receiver especially, you only get but so many chances, so many times the ball comes your way in a game and things like that.”
Williams said he believes “communicating a little bit more about specifics of ways I see it and the ways he sees it” is essential to the connection improving in the back half of the season and Sunday’s game against the Patriots will be the next time to check in on where things stand for the duo.
