KEY MATCHUP
With 44 receptions for 691 yards and five touchdowns, DJ Moore is on pace for one of the best seasons for a receiver in Bears history: 94 receptions for 1,468 yards and 11 touchdowns.
But even with those impressive numbers, Moore has been hit-and-miss this season. He has had two games of 130 or more yards and only one other game of more than 55. Since he had eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns Oct. 5 against the Commanders, Moore has 17 catches for 160 yards and no touchdowns in the Bears’ last three games.
That sets up a challenge Sunday against Saints four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who has eight pass breakups this season.
In nine games against the Saints with the Panthers, Moore had 34 receptions for 533 yards and five touchdowns. That’s 59.2 yards per game and 15.7 yards per catch. But two of his most productive games came when Lattimore was out (six catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns in 2019 and eight catches for 79 yards and a touchdown in 2021). In two games against Lattimore last season, Moore had two catches for 12 yards and no touchdowns.
Moore needs more support. In the five games he has been held to 55 or fewer yards, no receiver has filled the void. The Bears’ next-best option in those games has averaged 46.8 receiving yards.
TRENDING
While the Bears’ rushing defense ranks third in yards and first in yards per carry, their passing defense is 30th in yards and yards per attempt.
While the Bears contained Kirk Cousins (181 yards, one touchdown, 93.6 rating), the only quarterback they have shut down is Raiders third-stringer Brian Hoyer. The seven starters the Bears have faced have a 114.9 passer rating with 16 touchdowns and one interception against them.
Saints veteran Derek Carr has been spotty this season, but he’s much closer to Cousins or Justin Herbert than to Hoyer. And Carr is coming off his best game of the season: 19-for-27 for 310 yards, two touchdowns and a 133.3 rating in a 38-27 victory against the Colts.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Newly acquired defensive end Montez Sweat is expected to get more than token snaps against the Saints after arriving Wednesday in a trade with the Commanders. The Bears have accelerated his acclimation to their scheme to get him ready.
‘‘He’s in great shape . . . to play the way we play,’’ defensive line coach Travis Smith said.
Sweat has 6œ sacks, 11 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles in eight games this season.
X-FACTOR
The firing of running backs coach David Walker that rocked Halas Hall last week isn’t likely to have a big effect on the players.
Rookie Tyson Bagent’s ability to operate the offense in the expected din of the Superdome looms as a much bigger obstacle to overcome.
