Which Chicago Bears were winners in Week 5 vs. Commanders?
It has been so long since the Chicago Bears won, I have forgotten what it is like to not have to pick out winners from a losing effort. Whatever we call it each week, whether it's winners or studs, they have only been winners to a point. Individual efforts that contribute positively always deserve to be highlighted, but when a team loses 14 straight games there seem to be fewer and fewer reasons to call someone a winner.
The Chicago Bears offense was humming for the second straight week
Now, coming off of a Chicago Bears win, one can truly appreciate what a winning effort, or a stud effort, means when it comes to winning a football game. Looking at the stat sheet alone it is clear there were some big performances. It was safe to say a lot of the players did their jobs, and that is all we can ask for from a team that was so down on themselves. These players are the ones that stood out the most because they were exceptionally great in this game.
Chicago Bears Week 5 Winner No. 1: D.J. Moore, WR
There is a small cult of football fans, including some Bears fans, who like to think D.J. Moore is not a true number-one wideout. While he might be the cream of the crop in terms of wide receiver rankings, he is absolutely number one, and he is transforming into a superstar right in front of our eyes.
The Chicago Bears have figured out how to use D.J. Moore the way he is supposed to be used. They have figured out that they just need to get the ball in his hands and he will make plays. His after-the-catch talent is at the top of the league in terms of breaking tackles and gaining extra yards. It is clear that Luke Getsy has a "just get him the ball" section of his playbook that he is leaning on heavily.
Moore finished with 8 receptions for 230 yards and three touchdowns. That is a historic stat line, in terms of both the Bears franchise and the NFL in general. This is the third time in five games that Moore has been over one hundred yards receiving. He is the first receiver in the Super Bowl era to have over 200 yards receiving and three touchdowns in a game.
Moore made a living against the man coverage that the Commanders decided to use for most of the game. Sure, the Commanders are the second-worst defense in the league, but they still have a lot of elite talent on their team. The Bears used Moore on a lot of double routes and stutter-go routes to get him in the back of the cornerback guarding him. It led to a lot of big gains which helped to inflate his yardage total.
Moore is enjoying some consistent quarterback play over the last two weeks which is a breath of fresh air for him. His effect on this offense cannot be stated enough, especially considering Justin Fields has a perfect passer rating when throwing to Moore on the season.