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There's one defender DJ Moore can't seem to beat, and he plays for a division rival

Originally posted on Chicago Bears on SI
By Pete Martuneac | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 10:39 AM ET

The 2023 trade that saw the Chicago Bears acquire wide receiver DJ Moore, along with several picks, from the Carolina Panthers was a masterclass by GM Ryan Poles. The Bears had not seen a receiver like Moore since the days of Alshon Jefferey and Brandon Marshall. Moore is a phenomenal route runner, makes tough catches, and is greatly respected across the NFL world.

As good as he is, however, Moore has his kryptonite, according to a recent analysis from Pro Football Focus. Ryan Smith found that Moore has struggled tremendously over the past few years when playing against Byron Murphy Jr., who has been with the Minnesota Vikings since 2023.

"In Week 4 of the 2022 season, Moore was targeted three times with Murphy in coverage, failing to catch any passes, two of which resulted in interceptions (0.0 passer rating)," Smith writes. "In the three matchups following that, Murphy allowed just nine receptions, 67 yards and zero touchdowns and recorded another interception."

We can discard that Week 4 game from 2022, since that was before Moore became a Chicago Bear. But since joining the Bears, Moore has faced Murphy three times and averaged just 3 receptions and 22 yards per game when Murphy was on him. Worst of all, Moore has never caught a touchdown on Murphy.

There could be several reasons for this. Moore has suffered inconsistent quarterback play and horrendous play-calling for almost his entire career, including in Chicago. Last year was even worse than usual because the Bears fired head coach Matt Eberflus halfway through the season and cycled through three offensive coordinators.

Hopefully, 2025 will be a different story. The Bears appear to have improved across the board, quarterback Caleb Williams is primed for a meteoric rise, and the jump from an offense designed by Shane Waldron to one designed by Ben Johnson is like going from Cade McNown to Tom Brady.

Moore may not be aware of just how futile his past efforts have been against Murphy in particular, but if he is then you can bet he has that September 8th matchup circled on his calendar. By playing the Vikings at home on Monday Night Football to kickoff the 2025 season, Moore has a chance to prove to the NFL world that he was always just a good quarterback and play-caller away from being one of the league's best receivers.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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