Tennessee Titans vs Chicago Bears: Most likely CB/WR matchups
By Will Lomas
Adoree Jackson vs Darnell Mooney
The assumption for most people is that Adoree Jackson will come back and shadow the other team’s best receiver, but there is a big problem with that. Given the lack of speed in the secondary, it is much more important for Adoree Jackson to be used to erase the fastest receiver on the other team and not the “best” receiver.
Another way to think about it is to ask if you want Malcolm Butler on an island with the other team’s fastest receiver? No, right? So then working backward, Jackson should shadow Darnell Mooney who you might not know a lot about.
Just a quick overview, Mooney is the boundary receiver that the Bears seem to like targetting deep the most. After running a 4.38 at the combine, it isn’t hard to see why they want to use him to put pressure on a defense vertically, but that isn’t all they ask him to do.
Ignore that his stat line doesn’t jump off the page week to week, the Bears use him in presnap motion often to try to get him going across the formation when the ball is snapped so that he gets to the edge easily and has room to work.
The chemistry isn’t quite there with Mooney and Nick Foles, but the intention is to get him the ball on deep passes if possible. Sometimes that thinking has led to sacks or interceptions because of a leaky offensive line and how obvious this plan is and if Adoree Jackson is 100% then this matchup could be a great way for the Titans to get an improved pass rush in this game.