Matt Eberflus was impressed when Caleb Williams connected with DJ Moore on an early 34-yard touchdown off a wide-open crossing route, setting the tone for what turned into a dominant performance. Williams threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns—his best game yet—while Moore racked up 105 receiving yards and caught both scores against his former team. The Chicago Bears cruised to a 36-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, improving to 3-2 after winning their second straight.
The Bears’ success came from two key players acquired in a 2023 trade with Carolina—Williams, the No. 1 draft pick, and Moore. D’Andre Swift also contributed significantly for the second week in a row, gaining 120 scrimmage yards and scoring a touchdown.
Williams excelled against a struggling Panthers defense, completing 20 of 29 passes with no interceptions and earning a career-high 126.2 passer rating. Head coach Matt Eberflus praised his development, saying, “He’s learning and growing. Every time we challenge him, he steps up.”
Panthers coach Dave Canales noted Moore’s deep passing success, stating, “When it clicks, it clicks, and today it did.” Swift continued his hot streak with 73 rushing yards and 47 receiving yards. Roschon Johnson added two rushing touchdowns, including one that sparked an altercation leading to ejections for Chicago’s Matt Pryor and Carolina’s Jaycee Horn.
Williams, who might have been playing for Carolina had it not been for the 2023 trade, once again proved his worth for Chicago. In addition to Moore and the No. 9 pick, the Bears secured Carolina’s 2024 first-rounder, which led them to draft the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.
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