LANDOVER, Md. — 4 days after squandering a three-touchdown result in mark their 14th straight loss, the Chicago Bears ended the longest dropping streak in franchise historical past with a 40-20 walloping of the Washington Commanders on Thursday.
Practically a complete 12 months — 346 days, to be actual — had handed since Chicago’s final victory. After an 0-4 begin amid off-field drama and poor on-field performances, simply how badly did the Bears want this win?
“Fairly unhealthy, I am not going to lie,” tight finish Cole Kmet mentioned. “I believe the emotion I felt actually till … the clock hit zero was aid. It has been a very long time coming to get this primary win. We have got a variety of expertise; we have simply received to place it collectively. These kind of performances can carry over, however now we have to have the ability to execute and be in sync as a bunch.”
Solely a handful of gamers stay from the final Bears staff to attain 40 factors, in a 41-17 win in opposition to Jacksonville in Week 16 of the 2020 season. Broad receiver Darnell Mooney, who was a rookie that season, hardly remembered the result given what number of losses the Bears collected from that point on.
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What did really feel acquainted was the rut the Bears’ offense discovered itself in after a blazing begin. Chicago scored a landing or subject purpose on each drive within the first half, sparked by two TD receptions from DJ Moore, and constructed a 24-point lead by the top of the second quarter. Quarterback Justin Fields grew to become the primary Bears participant because the 1970 merger to throw for 3 touchdowns within the first half of back-to-back video games.
A 3rd quarter that featured two drives for Chicago, each of which resulted in punts, whereas Washington scored a landing and subject purpose, was the motivation the Bears used to keep away from one other letdown.
“We’re not permitting this to occur once more,” Mooney mentioned. “We felt that energy of one other staff having that in opposition to us, and we do not wish to really feel that once more.”
Moore’s big night time prevented one other disappointment and helped the Bears safe a win on the street. The 25-year-old receiver caught eight passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns, the second-most receiving yards in a recreation in Bears historical past.
His fourth-quarter landing sealed the sport for Chicago. Moore ran a curl route, which Washington cornerback Kendall Fuller unsuccessfully jumped, and took a brief reception 56 yards down the guests sideline to the top zone.
As Fields watched his No. 1 wideout prolong his yards after the catch to 141 — probably the most by any Bears participant since ESPN started monitoring YAC in 2006 — the quarterback categorized that second of closing out the sport as a “sigh of aid.”
“I believe we simply needed to reset,” Fields mentioned. “After all, the drive the place we had a false begin, you recognize, everyone’s sort of leaping round a little bit bit. However I simply went over to the fellows and simply mentioned, ‘Settle down. We’re in a terrific place, the protection goes to go on the market and do their factor.’ They did. They received a cease, and you recognize, after all, when DJ made that catch and run, it was just about recreation over by then. A heck of a play, nice catch, nice safety up entrance and executed it effectively.”
Moore was a key a part of the commerce bundle Chicago obtained from the Carolina Panthers in trade for the No. 1 total decide in March. In 5 video games with the Bears, Moore has:
• 531 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, which is already greater than any Bears extensive receiver collected through the 2022 season.
• Accounted for 47% of the Bears’ receiving yards this season, the very best of any participant within the NFL.
• Each tight-window reception for the Bears, per Subsequent Gen Stats. Fields is 8-of-11 for 137 yards and three TDs to Moore on tight-window throws and 0-of-8 to all different Bears on these performs.
It has been some time since Chicago had this a lot offense generated by one participant. Moore grew to become the primary Bears participant with 200 yards and three touchdowns from scrimmage in recreation since Corridor of Fame working again Walter Payton in 1979, a kind of efficiency the receiver mentioned he did not see coming.
“No, this morning I used to be nervous,” Moore mentioned. “Out of this world nervous, so I suppose that was my physique telling me we had been about to go off. I look ahead to having some extra nervous days earlier than video games.”
The Bears averaged 7.0 yards per play on an evening when Fields threw for 282 yards and 4 touchdowns, coupled with one other sturdy show from Chicago’s working recreation (178 yards).
Days after beginning to present their strengths as a staff, it is clear to some what the Bears consider is their offensive identification.
“Get the ball to DJ, man,” Mooney mentioned. “Get the ball to DJ. Actually, get the ball to DJ, and like I’ve mentioned earlier than, permit us to have a chance to make that catch, not make that catch, no matter. Put the load on our shoulders and simply give us the chance to make that play.”
