Bears' Odunze May Return Against Browns, Questions Remain Over Moore's Production
The Chicago Bears' leading wide receiver Rome Odunze took a significant step towards returning from his stress fracture in the foot by practicing on both Thursday and Friday. Despite being listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, there is hope that Odunze will be available to play. His limited practice suggests that he is not yet 100% fit, but it's a positive development nonetheless.
However, with Odunze potentially back in the fold, the focus shifts to DJ Moore, who has struggled with production this season. The Bears need more from their star receiver, and his stats are reflecting this. Moore has dipped to the lowest of his career at 39 catches, 498 yards and three touchdowns this season. His performance over the last five games has been particularly underwhelming, with just 95 yards total.
Coach Ben Johnson acknowledged that Moore's production has not been what they expected, saying "Can we dictate necessarily where the ball is going to go? Not all the time." The coach also expressed disappointment with Moore's lack of involvement in the game, which led to his only catch resulting in a loss of four yards. Despite this, Moore remains optimistic and stated that he'd rather win than have amazing stats.
The upcoming game against the Browns offers the Bears an opportunity to get back on track, but they still face significant challenges. A win would put them in a good position to reclaim the top seed in the NFC playoff race, but it's far from guaranteed. The remaining schedule is stacked with tough opponents, including the Packers, 49ers, and Lions.
Meanwhile, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sees an opportunity to challenge Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who has been sacked 20 times this season. Garrett aims to make Williams "a little bit more ordinary" in Sunday's game, but it's unlikely that he'll be able to bring down Williams easily. The pressure will be on Williams and the Bears' offense to make big plays and keep up with the Browns' potent defense.
As for the Bears' depth chart, there are some positional injuries that need to be addressed before Sunday's game. Cornerback Kyler Gordon (groin) may be placed on injured reserve if the team decides to do so by 3 pm on Saturday.
The Chicago Bears' leading wide receiver Rome Odunze took a significant step towards returning from his stress fracture in the foot by practicing on both Thursday and Friday. Despite being listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, there is hope that Odunze will be available to play. His limited practice suggests that he is not yet 100% fit, but it's a positive development nonetheless.
However, with Odunze potentially back in the fold, the focus shifts to DJ Moore, who has struggled with production this season. The Bears need more from their star receiver, and his stats are reflecting this. Moore has dipped to the lowest of his career at 39 catches, 498 yards and three touchdowns this season. His performance over the last five games has been particularly underwhelming, with just 95 yards total.
Coach Ben Johnson acknowledged that Moore's production has not been what they expected, saying "Can we dictate necessarily where the ball is going to go? Not all the time." The coach also expressed disappointment with Moore's lack of involvement in the game, which led to his only catch resulting in a loss of four yards. Despite this, Moore remains optimistic and stated that he'd rather win than have amazing stats.
The upcoming game against the Browns offers the Bears an opportunity to get back on track, but they still face significant challenges. A win would put them in a good position to reclaim the top seed in the NFC playoff race, but it's far from guaranteed. The remaining schedule is stacked with tough opponents, including the Packers, 49ers, and Lions.
Meanwhile, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sees an opportunity to challenge Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who has been sacked 20 times this season. Garrett aims to make Williams "a little bit more ordinary" in Sunday's game, but it's unlikely that he'll be able to bring down Williams easily. The pressure will be on Williams and the Bears' offense to make big plays and keep up with the Browns' potent defense.
As for the Bears' depth chart, there are some positional injuries that need to be addressed before Sunday's game. Cornerback Kyler Gordon (groin) may be placed on injured reserve if the team decides to do so by 3 pm on Saturday.