Week 1 could not have gone much worse for the Chicago Bears. Flush with the expectation that the franchise could finally turn the tables on their longtime nemesis, Bears fans instead had to sit through 60 minutes of pain. In the end, the 38-20 final score didn't even accurately capture how thoroughly the Packers dismantled the Bears, but the beauty of the NFL is that you only have to wait one week to change the narrative.
The Bears will face a different kind of test in Week 2. The 1-0 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are waiting, fresh off a road victory at Minnesota. Prognosticators didn't think much of the Bucs before the season began, but that's irrelevant now. Baker Mayfield played mistake-free football in Week 1, while the defense turned Kirk Cousins over three times.
The Bears lost their own turnover battle 2-0, so taking care of the ball will be of paramount importance in the Florida heat. It will take a total team effort to beat a Bucs team that won't beat themselves. With that in mind, let's take a look at four critical matchups that will determine if the Bears can get back to .500 or not.
Matchup #1) D.J. Moore vs. the Tampa Bay secondary
By far the Bears' most exciting acquisition this offseason, D.J. Moore was brought to town to give Justin Fields the kind of top-tier weapon that he could only dream about in his first two years in the league.
Outside of two consecutive catches early in the second quarter, Moore was a total non-factor against the Packers. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy failed to draw anything up to get his new prized receiver going, but that needs to change against Tampa.
Justin Jefferson torched the Bucs' secondary in Week 1, catching nine passes for 150 yards on 12 targets. While it's true that Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in the league, his performance should give Bears fans hope that Moore can enjoy similar success.
Like Jefferson, Moore is an elite route runner who can operate in any area of the field. Getsy and quarterback Justin Fields need to make it a priority to get Moore the ball early and often. Ten targets should be the goal.
Tampa's cornerbacks had a rough start to the season. Carlton Davis allowed eight catches on 12 targets, while Jamel Dean allowed four grabs on six targets. The Vikings compiled 144 yards after the catch, which was second in the league behind only the Chargers, and this is an area where Moore excels. D.J. Moore isn't Justin Jefferson, but he's absolutely good enough to change this game.