The Chicago Bears passing game came alive in Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams topping 300 passing yards for the second time in his young career.
A big reason why the unit found success on Sunday was because of the ever-evolving connection between Williams and his top target DJ Moore.
It was a big performance for Moore who was finally able to stick it to his former team that shipped him to Chicago last year, but he continued to downplay the opportunity.
"It was just another game," Moore said after the game. "But, I mean, it's the Panthers, so you can add whatever you want onto it, revenge game, anything like that, but it was really just a special game today to get us all going on offense."
Even if he wants to downplay it, this game still had to feel good for Moore. The Bears top pass catcher finished the game with five receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Sunday was Moore's second game with multiple touchdown receptions since joining the Bears in 2023.
Moore's first touchdown catch came on the team's second drive after Williams hit his target in stride on a wide open crossing route.
"It was a big, wide void over there," Moore explained. "Rome [Odunze] and Keenan [Allen] did a good job taking the safety and the nickel out of there, and I just came across the field streaking open. "[I had a] little tight rope on the sideline because I didn't know where I was at. The wind had had everything going crazy, so when I caught it, I was off balance a little bit, and had to be athletic enough to score."
The second touchdown connection was even more impressive between Moore and Williams. Just before halftime, Williams launched a bomb to Moore and put the ball right over the head of Panthers CB Mike Jackson and Moore was able to come down with the catch.
"It was just a dot, and we work that in practice," Moore added. "And when he threw it, I was like, 'man, it's a touchdown,' because I knew I crossed the corner's face and there was nobody in the middle of the field. So, I was like, 'it's my ball, or is nobody's' and 99% of the time, it's my ball."
The connection between these two is just getting started and it was great to see Moore and the rest of the passing game finally come alive.
"DJ's such a special player, and y'all saw it today, him making plays," Williams said. "So having a special play like that, and your team, you obviously want to give him the ball, let him just be DJ and be special. So it felt really good."
