The Chicago Bears didn't just lose in blowout fashion on Sunday. They also appeared to lose the interest of star wide receiver DJ Moore in the middle of a first-quarter play. Then, on Tuesday, Moore didn't explicitly shoot down the notion that head coach Matt Eberflus has lost the belief of the locker room.
"I wanna say no," Moore told Chicago's 670 The Score, when asked if Eberflus has "lost this football team" in the wake of a two-game losing streak. "The message yesterday was, we know we're 4-4 now. It's just like being 0-0. But you just gotta go out there and start stacking wins. ... And that's the best thing we can do is win, and then let the chips fall how they fall after we do so."
Moore's first line -- "I wanna say no" -- has prompted additional speculation about the Bears' internal stability. Chicago was 4-2 just a few weeks ago, undeniably relevant in a crowded NFC North race, but Eberflus' squad has suffered back-to-back blows, losing on a walk-off Hail Mary in Week 8 and falling 29-9 to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. During the latter, Moore was seen walking off the field and taking a seat on the Bears' bench in the middle of a play in which quarterback Caleb Williams scrambled around.
Didn't notice this live, but on this extended scramble play that ended in OPI on Keenan Allen, DJ Moore took himself off the field with what looks like some kind of injury. He limped off at the end and sat on the bench. pic.twitter.com/YTnrZNDYfW
— Nicholas Moreano (@NicholasMoreano) November 4, 2024
Moore appeared to have a momentary limp as he left the field of play, suggesting he may have injured himself, but didn't receive medical attention on the bench. He also could've accidentally stepped out of bounds while trying to get open for Williams, which would've made him ineligible to catch a pass. Fans have debated his intentions on social media, however, given that Moore didn't turn around to even watch the rest of the play, or reestablish himself as a potential blocker, after walking off the field.
Eberflus, for what it's worth, didn't have a clear explanation for Moore's actions after the game.
"I'm not sure the exact play, but I do know that one play he stepped out of bounds, and I think the side judge threw his hat, he was out, so I believe that's what happened," the coach said, via NBC Sports. "I have to watch the play specifically, but I think that might be the play ... I have to go back and look at it."
The Bears are now 14-28 under Eberflus since 2022, while Moore has struggled to make a substantial impact in recent weeks, logging fewer than 35 receiving yards in four of his last five games.
