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Chalk Talk

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Chalk Talk: Will Mooney get more targets?

Bears receiver Darnell Mooney
Bears receiver Darnell Mooney

Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.

I was surprised that Darnell Mooney only had a few targets against the 49ers. Do you think the Bears will try to get him the ball more versus the Packers?
Robert W.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I'm sure the Bears would love to see Darnell Mooney have more than three targets and just one catch for eight yards like he did in their win over the 49ers. But I also don't think they're going to force the ball to him. I felt that Justin Fields did a good job of finding the open receiver in the second half of the season opener, most notably on his two touchdown passes. He scrambled to his left and found a wide open Dante Pettis for a 51-yard score and then hit Equanimeous St. Brown for an 18-yard TD on a play that was designed to be thrown to fullback Khari Blasingame. Also, it was just a weird game that I don't think will be typical this season. Due in large part to the heavy rain, the Bears had 37 rushing attempts and just 17 passes.

How much have the Bears tapped into offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's knowledge of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers while preparing for Sunday night's game in Green Bay?
Lee W.
Oak Forest, Illinois

Coach Matt Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams both told reporters this week about speaking to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy about Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Getsy spent seven of the previous eight seasons with Green Bay as an offensive quality control coach (2014-15), receivers coach (2016-17) and quarterbacks coach (2019-21) while doubling as passing game coordinator in 2020-21. Here's what Eberflus said: "It's certainly helpful to have a guy that was in the building. It's helpful to us. We'll lean on him. We have a couple guys on our staff. So it's important for personnel but also scheme. We'll lean on those guys." Here's what Williams had to say: "I try to take all the information in. So I talk to Luke. I talk to our players who have played them before. I've faced the offense and Aaron many times. So I gather as much information as I can and then sift through it; what I can use to help me and what I need to throw out because sometimes you get too much information, then you get paralysis by analysis and we do not want to do that."

I felt that Khalil Herbert had a better game than David Montgomery in the season opener against the 49ers. Do you think that Herbert could supplant Montgomery as the Bears' starting running back?
Ryan T.
Elgin, Illinois

I don't think that's very likely to happen, but I do believe that both running backs will continue to share the workload. Khalil Herbert was more productive against the 49ers, rushing for 45 yards on nine carries. But David Montgomery didn't play poorly. He was limited to 26 yards on 17 attempts, but in rewatching a TV copy of the game, he had little to no room to run. He also made a fabulous play on a screen pass, breaking multiple tackles for a 16-yard gain. In addition, Herbert fills a valuable role on special teams, returning kickoffs and also covering kickoffs. After scoring a touchdown on a 3-yard run against the 49ers, he made the tackle on the ensuing kickoff.

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