The Chicago Bears returned to observe Wednesday to prepare for Sunday’s sport towards the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field.
Here are 4 issues we discovered from Bears coach Matt Eberflus and gamers.
1. Wide receiver DJ Moore was named the NFC offensive participant of the week.
DJ Moore by no means gained an offensive participant of the week award whereas with the Carolina Panthers.
“Not when you’ve got Christian McCaffrey on your team,” Moore mentioned. “A few times he outshined me. It was all good though.”
In Thursday’s 40-20 win over the Washington Commanders, Moore left little question.
He put collectively the second-best single-game efficiency by a Bears broad receiver, along with his career-high 230 receiving yards on eight catches trailing solely Alshon Jeffery’s 249 yards in 2013. Moore additionally had landing catches of 20, 11 and 56 yards, the latter sealing the Bears’ victory.
That efficiency earned him the NFC offensive participant of the week award.
“It just feels amazing,” Moore mentioned. “I’m just all smiles right now. I want to chase another one (and) keep smiling.”
Moore is the primary Bears participant to win the award since Justin Fields gained it in Week 9 of 2022 for his efficiency towards the Miami Dolphins. And he’s the primary Bears broad receiver to win it since Marcus Robinson in 1999.
Moore mentioned Wednesday the Bears offense took a “giant step” within the sport and was capable of escape some explosive performs as a result of “everybody was just locked in” for a prime-time sport.
The key to persevering with these massive performs this week?
“Just knowing when to dial them up and call them at the right time and everybody executing at the right time,” Moore mentioned. “I know that (offensive coordinator Luke Getsy) is going to be aggressive like he was. We’ve just got to be on the same page with him always.”
2. Left guard Teven Jenkins continues to work on caring for his physique to raised keep away from accidents.
Jenkins returned final week to play towards the Commanders for the primary time since struggling a calf harm through the Bears’ journey to Indianapolis for joint practices and a preseason sport in August.
He performed 58% of the Bears snaps at left guard, platooning with Cody Whitehair and Ja’Tyre Carter, and the Bears are going to guage his conditioning this week to see if he’s able to go a full sport or if they may proceed the rotation.
“I like to think of it as I’m only in there half the time so I can go twice as hard,” Jenkins mentioned of making ready for a rotation. “When you’re going to be rotating in and out, it’s hard to get your juice going. It’s very hard to get your mind in it. That’s the big challenge about it. But if you can keep your mind in it you’re good.”
Jenkins can be engaged on being good within the well being division.
The calf harm was one among a number of he has handled in his two-plus seasons with the Bears, and it satisfied him to dive into making wellness adjustments like altering his weight-reduction plan and seeing a “bodywork specialist.” He has talked earlier than about reducing out carbs and alcohol to drop weight and doing Pilates to achieve energy.
“When I got hurt, it was like a wake-up call really,” he mentioned. “I knew I had to change something this offseason because I’ve had past injuries, so I was slowing into it. Tiptoeing back and forth about what I should do, and I’m really bought into it now.”
Part of the brand new routine is utilizing a private chef who makes a speciality of clear consuming.
What did Jenkins eat earlier than?
“Wendy’s,” he mentioned. “I do the Baconator, large strawberry lemonade, large fry, get a 10-piece spicy nugget and if I’m feeling it maybe a Frosty.”
3. Matt Eberflus mentioned not having to defend Justin Jefferson adjustments some issues for the Bears protection Sunday.
The Vikings positioned Jefferson on injured reserve Wednesday with a hamstring harm. That means Jefferson, who in his profession towards the Bears has 41 catches for 585 yards and two touchdowns, should miss no less than the subsequent 4 video games.
And it means the Bears caught a break for his or her sport Sunday.
“It allows you to play more basic, more solid on both sides as opposed to tilting your coverage one way or the other,” Eberflus mentioned. “It certainly allows you to play your base the way that you normally play against a normal guy, normal people rather than playing against a guy that’s elite in the top two or three in the league, which he is.”
But Eberflus wouldn’t go as far as to name it a “relief.”
“You’re always on edge, so you’ve got to make sure you have that sense of urgency to defend and play fast and to play physical,” Eberflus mentioned. “So we’re always on edge that way.”
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson mentioned he was trying ahead to dealing with Jefferson.
“It changes a whole lot,” Johnson mentioned. “They already lost Dalvin Cook, and he was their guy in the run game, and now they lose their No. 1 target in the pass game for the last four years. They’ve definitely got some stepping up to do for those other receivers, and I know they are looking forward to the opportunity to get some targets thrown their way.”
4. Eddie Jackson, Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon returned to observe.
Eddie Jackson (foot), Jaylon Johnson (hamstring) and Kyler Gordon (hand) practiced in a restricted capability Wednesday because the Bears study whether or not they can return from weeks-long absences Sunday.
Running backs Khalil Herbert (ankle), Roschon Johnson (concussion), Travis Homer (hamstring), heart Lucas Patrick (concussion) and broad receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (hamstring) didn’t observe.
Tight finish Cole Kmet (hamstring) and cornerback Terell Smith (ankle) had been restricted.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com