Another week, another controversial call in an NFL game.
During the Chicago Bears' battle with the Washington Commanders on "Thursday Night Football, wideout DJ Moore appeared to have a long touchdown taken away from him thanks to a questionable out-of-bounds call by officials.
DJ wanted even Moore. #CHIvsWAS on Prime Video
— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2023
Also available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/YCeYJnyJmB pic.twitter.com/DsCFQjstjV
Naturally, the internet let the NFL and the men in stripes hear about it. Most asked for a simple replay on the Amazon Prime broadcast. A simple request, it would seem, but none came, nor a mention that Moore might've stayed in bounds came from anyone in the booth.
I'm gonna need to see where DJ Moore stepped out of bounds.
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) October 6, 2023
To me, it didn't look like his foot touched the line. Feel like they should've at least looked into it. #Bears
Was DJ Moore even close to going out? They gonna show us?
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) October 6, 2023
Meanwhile, others, like analyst Warren Sharp, used the league's own technology to call them out. By the league's tracking technology, there's no clear indication that Moore stepped out of bounds.
hey NFL, show us where DJ Moore stepped out pic.twitter.com/jU8hRxX7gL
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 6, 2023
Moore would have the last laugh, however. Not only did Moore score later on a 56-yard hookup with quarterback Justin Fields to seal the Bears' first victory of 2024, but ended the night with eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-20 Chicago win.
The Bears prized offseason acquisition made franchise history, becoming the first receiver in the Super Bowl era to record 450-plus receiving yards and four or more receiving touchdowns through the team's first five contests.
Moore was on fire long before officials got involved to slow him down. In the first half alone, Moore caught all five targets set his way, turning them into 137 yards and two scores.
His career night couldn't have come at a better time for the previously winless Bears, which snapped a brutal 14-game losing streak. While it's only one game, Moore is seemingly gaining a connection with Fields. If that's the case, and Thursday night's performance indicates what they're capable of together, the sky is the limit for the duo.
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