The Chicago Bears lost 27-24 to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, and in the process, they had D.J. Moore walk off the field with an injury. Late in the fourth quarter, Moore was hit in the ribs, causing him to stay down on the field in clear pain and briefly exit. Though he did return, fans still have had concerns in the aftermath of the loss.
Despite the hit looking brutal, it appears that he’s thankfully fine. Head coach Ben Johnson spoke to the media on Tuesday, and it sounds like Moore avoided anything major.
Johnson said, “Through his text messages, it sounded like he was okay," per Marquee Sports Network's Nicholas Moreano.
DJ Moore Looks to Have Avoided Any Serious Injury After MNF Injury
Moore was sandwiched by Isaiah Rodgers and Jay Ward after Caleb Williams threw a hospital ball. At the time of the injury, it seemed to be serious as Moore was walking off the field. Thankfully, he ended up returning to the field on the final drive, and from the way he's speaking to Johnson, it looks like Moore will be alright.
That's a massive bullet dodged as the Maryland product will be the No. 1 option in the aerial attack. Johnson even used Moore in the backfield as a running back on a couple of plays, indicating they have plans to utilize him this season.
The offense as a whole needs more work, so having everyone out there will be huge. In Week 1, Moore had three catches for a team-high 68 receiving yards. He added 8 rushing yards and owns the skillset to be a very productive player in this offense.
The Bears are always dealing with injuries on the defensive side of the ball, as both Jaylon Johnson and T.J. Edwards missed Week 1. Not having to add another impactful starter to the group is a positive note.
The Bears don't have any time to waste as they travel to play the Detroit Lions in Week 2. Ironically enough, the Lions didn't look the same way without Johnson calling the shots, as they scored 13 points in Week 1.
The Bears will need to come out guns blazing on Sunday and get into the win column. Having Moore out there is a way this team could achieve that. Losing one of your best playmakers this early would have been a gut punch to this team, but Bears fans can take a deep breath after Johnson's comments.