Frustrated Bears defense out of answers: 'We got our [butt] whooped.'
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Well, it wasn’t Matt Eberflus’ fault.Following 10 days of tumult and change at Halas Hall, the Bears could only point the finger at themselves after a lackluster 38-13 loss to the 49ers on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.“The coaches aren’t out there playing. We’re the ones out there on the field,” safety Kevin Byard said after the defense allowed 452 yards and five touchdowns to a 49ers offense that gained 239 yards and scored 10 points against the Bills last week.“We’re putting the product out there. I just try to look in the mirror. I didn’t play well today. I probably would say that everybody you talk to is going to say the same thing. They didn’t play well enough today. That’s just reality — you don’t play well, you lose games, you get blown out.”The frustration was thicker than the culture in the Bears’ locker room after their seventh consecutive loss dropped them to 4-9. There was hope, even an expectation, that the firing of Eberflus would elicit a better performance after players tacitly and directly blamed Eberflus for his role in their demise.But the Bears’ response was startling — even for a team in the throes of a six-game losing streak. The defense, supposedly the rock or the team, collapsed from the start. The 49ers needed just five plays to drive 70 yards for a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. The defense allowed 319 yards on 37 plays as the Bears’ fell behind 24-0.Niners quarterback Brock Purdy completed 20 of 25 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns for a 145.4 passer rating — a week after passing for 94 yards with a 74.8 rating against the Bills. It was the 20th best passer rating all-time against the Bears. Tight end George Kittle had six receptions for 151 yards on six targets, the most ever by a tight end against the Bears.Nobody expressed that frustration more than a snippy Jaylon Johnson, whose defiant post-game outburst at Eberflus against the Lions on Thanksgiving was a flashpoint in the turbulent week. Johnson was in no mood for dissecting the latest debacle in a curt 90-second post-game interview.Surprised there wasn’t a better bounce-back?“What’s your question?” Johnson responded.Are you surprised you played so poorly?“Yeah. We don’t expect to play poorly.”What do you think went wrong?“We didn’t execute. They made more plays than we did.”Why do you think that was?"We didn’t do enough.”Why was that?“I don’t know.”What can you do to get out of this rut?“If I knew, I would.”How disappointed that the team didn’t respond after a tough week?“Very disappointed. We keep losing. Nothing’s gonna change until we win.”How surprised by the effort today?“I didn’t think it was lack of effort. It was a lack of execution.”How surprised are you by that?“Very surprised.”Is this a hangover from the tough week?“No. We didn’t execute.”What was Thomas Brown’s message after the game?“I don’t know. I was in the bathroom.”Even Byard, a veteran leader who understands the public role that comes with captaincy, was not willing to delve into any complex explanations for surprisingly poor performance — or what it says about this team and this season, or how frustrating it must be to try so hard and only get worse.“I think you’re trying to get a certain answer that’s really just not there,” Byard said. “We just didn’t play well. We didn’t execute better. It’s really just take it on the chin. There’s not really any type of hidden [explanation]. We got our [butt] whooped. That’s what happens when you don’t execute. You don’t play well. You don’t make plays. You don’t stop guys. They ran the ball. They threw the ball and that’s what you get.”
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Well, it wasn’t Matt Eberflus’ fault.
Following 10 days of tumult and change at Halas Hall, the Bears could only point the finger at themselves after a lackluster 38-13 loss to the 49ers on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
“The coaches aren’t out there playing. We’re the ones out there on the field,” safety Kevin Byard said after the defense allowed 452 yards and five touchdowns to a 49ers offense that gained 239 yards and scored 10 points against the Bills last week.
“We’re putting the product out there. I just try to look in the mirror. I didn’t play well today. I probably would say that everybody you talk to is going to say the same thing. They didn’t play well enough today. That’s just reality — you don’t play well, you lose games, you get blown out.”
The frustration was thicker than the culture in the Bears’ locker room after their seventh consecutive loss dropped them to 4-9. There was hope, even an expectation, that the firing of Eberflus would elicit a better performance after players tacitly and directly blamed Eberflus for his role in their demise.
But the Bears’ response was startling — even for a team in the throes of a six-game losing streak. The defense, supposedly the rock or the team, collapsed from the start. The 49ers needed just five plays to drive 70 yards for a touchdown on the game’s opening possession. The defense allowed 319 yards on 37 plays as the Bears’ fell behind 24-0.
Niners quarterback Brock Purdy completed 20 of 25 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns for a 145.4 passer rating — a week after passing for 94 yards with a 74.8 rating against the Bills. It was the 20th best passer rating all-time against the Bears. Tight end George Kittle had six receptions for 151 yards on six targets, the most ever by a tight end against the Bears.
Nobody expressed that frustration more than a snippy Jaylon Johnson, whose defiant post-game outburst at Eberflus against the Lions on Thanksgiving was a flashpoint in the turbulent week. Johnson was in no mood for dissecting the latest debacle in a curt 90-second post-game interview.
Surprised there wasn’t a better bounce-back?
“What’s your question?” Johnson responded.
Are you surprised you played so poorly?
“Yeah. We don’t expect to play poorly.”
What do you think went wrong?
“We didn’t execute. They made more plays than we did.”
Why do you think that was?
"We didn’t do enough.”
Why was that?
“I don’t know.”
What can you do to get out of this rut?
“If I knew, I would.”
How disappointed that the team didn’t respond after a tough week?
“Very disappointed. We keep losing. Nothing’s gonna change until we win.”
How surprised by the effort today?
“I didn’t think it was lack of effort. It was a lack of execution.”
How surprised are you by that?
“Very surprised.”
Is this a hangover from the tough week?
“No. We didn’t execute.”
What was Thomas Brown’s message after the game?
“I don’t know. I was in the bathroom.”
Even Byard, a veteran leader who understands the public role that comes with captaincy, was not willing to delve into any complex explanations for surprisingly poor performance — or what it says about this team and this season, or how frustrating it must be to try so hard and only get worse.
“I think you’re trying to get a certain answer that’s really just not there,” Byard said. “We just didn’t play well. We didn’t execute better. It’s really just take it on the chin. There’s not really any type of hidden [explanation]. We got our [butt] whooped. That’s what happens when you don’t execute. You don’t play well. You don’t make plays. You don’t stop guys. They ran the ball. They threw the ball and that’s what you get.”
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