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Wide receiver DJ Moore happy to keep up Bears' running back experiment

As the Bears get ready to hit the road for Sunday's game against the Raiders in Las Vegas, Ben Johnson's offense remains a running game by committee, but nobody seems to be complaining.

It doesn't sound like the DJ Moore at running back experiment is ending anytime soon. Moore hasn't been super-successful as a rusher, gaining just 15 yards on six carries through three games. He's lined up at running back 11 times.

Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle likes the options having a receiver in the backfield gives them.

"The biggest thing is he provides a challenge for a defense, because you don't really know what we're going to do when he's back there. It's not like he's a one-trick pony. The biggest thing is the multiplicity that that provides us in stressing a defense," he said.

Moore said he's happy to do what's needed for the offense.

"At this point, it is what it is, and my daily routine is just to go out there and do what I'm asked to do," he said. "It gets everybody on the field, and keeps the defense off balance."

Rookie Luther Burden is coming off a breakout game, catching three passes for 101 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown, but according to special teams coordinator Richard Hightower, he still wasn't happy with his whole performance.

"He's fearless, and he's never satisfied. Even after that game that he had, he was texting the night of really upset about the kickoff return he had, and seeing how he could be better with that," Hightower said.

Burden said he was feeling good about the game and the win, but felt like "we left some stuff out there."

Meantime, the defense is looking to maintain its momentum, after getting four turnovers against the Cowboys, and giving up only 14 points, after surrendering a total of 79 points in their first two games.

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who had two interceptions against Dallas, said it's all about building on Sunday's success when they face the Raiders.

"I've seen that from Week 1, you know what I mean? I'm not going to just say just because we won, we didn't execute in Week 1 or Week 2, because I did see that energy," he said. "I thought that we had some good days, but we're focused on this week, and nothing that we did last week as far as the game is going to carry over this time. So, you know, you've got to go out there and prove yourself each and every week. That's the best thing about the league."

The Bears might be without a number of key players against the Raiders. Five key players missed practice on Thursday: right tackle Darnell Wright, tight end Colston Loveland, defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, linebacker TJ Edwards, and cornerback Kyler Gordon.

Friday will be a big day, especially for Wright, Loveland, and Jarrett to see if they can give it a go against the Raiders.

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