Snafus keep piling up on Bears coach Matt Eberflus, pushing him toward exit
If Bears coach Matt Eberflus had more credibility, he could withstand losing to the Packers on a blocked field goal Sunday. He could write it off as just one of those random things that happen.But those things always happen to him.The snafus continue piling up on Eberflus, and the latest was forfeiting the chance to advance at least a few extra yards before Cairo Santos tried a 46-yard kick that would’ve delivered the biggest victory of his tenure. Packers defensive lineman Karl Brooks blocked it — with his middle finger, of course — for a 20-19 win and left Eberflus to explain yet another unraveling.A more proven coach could shrug and move on, but with a 14-30 record and many collapses on his ledger, Eberflus has no margin to absorb another one. This, like the botched final sequence against the Commanders, is just another item in the towering case against him keeping his job.That ending might repeat itself, too, because Eberflus took no lessons from it. Not only did he once again defend his decision to drain 25 seconds without calling a play to get the Bears closer than the 28-yard line, but said flat-out he would — and will next time — do it all over again.“Where the conditions were and where we were in the game, yeah, I would do the same,” he said Monday when asked if he’d change course when the situation arises again.He then rambled through a list of all the alternatives, including some that sounded pretty good. He mentioned the possibility that a run play could’ve broken for decent yardage and turned the field goal into a chip shot.But he was worried about fumbling. Or a false start. Or a holding call.If so, why risk running anything from the 30-yard line on the play before, when Roschon Johnson ran for two yards? If Eberflus’ team is that undisciplined and goof-ups are such a constant concern, why run any plays ever? Just punt all day and see if the other team trips over itself enough times.The fact remains that Eberflus’ team was up 19-14 with six minutes left and had possession near midfield. It was the ninth time under him that the Bears lost after leading in the fourth quarter. Four were double-digit leads.That doesn’t happen by accident. It points to bad in-game management.Eberflus played too conservatively against the Commanders by letting Jayden Daniels pass his way to midfield before the Hail Mary heave. He overcorrected the next week and pressured the Cardinals at the end of the first half, only for them to get a 53-yard touchdown run.He seemed to be in an aggressive mood much of Sunday, then flinched at the worst possible moment.This was a major concern last season and likely a red flag as general manager Ryan Poles weighed bringing him back. Nonetheless, Poles judged that he was getting the most out of the players.“That’s the big thing: Are we maximizing what we have?” Poles told the Sun-Times before the season. “To me, it was yes.”How about now?There’s no way Poles believes he built a losing roster. The Bears have flaws, but they came in with good-to-great starters at nearly every defensive position, an enviable cast of skill players and the No. 1 pick in quarterback Caleb Williams.For that collection of talent to sit 4-6 is underachieving.“You don’t want to be 4-6,” he said when asked if he thought so.Sometimes a 4-6 record reflects the talent level. That’s not true here.“We are where we are,” Eberflus replied. “We’ve had some disappointing losses... but you can’t look back. You’ve got to look forward and you’ve got to look upward.”More attention to the past might have stopped the Bears from bringing him back. Instead, they're looking upward from the bottom of the NFC North and forward to a new coach. Latest on the Bears Bears Bears' Caleb Williams-Rome Odunze connection takes big step The rookies combined for back-to-back pass plays that got the Bears out of a hole in the final two minutes — 16 yards on third-and-19 and 21 yards on fourth-and-three. “When it comes to two-minute … it’s find your one-on-ones and find your guys,” Williams said. By Mark Potash [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone] Bears Bears coach Matt Eberflus would — and will — do it all the s
If Bears coach Matt Eberflus had more credibility, he could withstand losing to the Packers on a blocked field goal Sunday. He could write it off as just one of those random things that happen.
But those things always happen to him.
The snafus continue piling up on Eberflus, and the latest was forfeiting the chance to advance at least a few extra yards before Cairo Santos tried a 46-yard kick that would’ve delivered the biggest victory of his tenure. Packers defensive lineman Karl Brooks blocked it — with his middle finger, of course — for a 20-19 win and left Eberflus to explain yet another unraveling.
A more proven coach could shrug and move on, but with a 14-30 record and many collapses on his ledger, Eberflus has no margin to absorb another one. This, like the botched final sequence against the Commanders, is just another item in the towering case against him keeping his job.
That ending might repeat itself, too, because Eberflus took no lessons from it. Not only did he once again defend his decision to drain 25 seconds without calling a play to get the Bears closer than the 28-yard line, but said flat-out he would — and will next time — do it all over again.
“Where the conditions were and where we were in the game, yeah, I would do the same,” he said Monday when asked if he’d change course when the situation arises again.
He then rambled through a list of all the alternatives, including some that sounded pretty good. He mentioned the possibility that a run play could’ve broken for decent yardage and turned the field goal into a chip shot.
But he was worried about fumbling. Or a false start. Or a holding call.
If so, why risk running anything from the 30-yard line on the play before, when Roschon Johnson ran for two yards? If Eberflus’ team is that undisciplined and goof-ups are such a constant concern, why run any plays ever? Just punt all day and see if the other team trips over itself enough times.
The fact remains that Eberflus’ team was up 19-14 with six minutes left and had possession near midfield. It was the ninth time under him that the Bears lost after leading in the fourth quarter. Four were double-digit leads.
That doesn’t happen by accident. It points to bad in-game management.
Eberflus played too conservatively against the Commanders by letting Jayden Daniels pass his way to midfield before the Hail Mary heave. He overcorrected the next week and pressured the Cardinals at the end of the first half, only for them to get a 53-yard touchdown run.
He seemed to be in an aggressive mood much of Sunday, then flinched at the worst possible moment.
This was a major concern last season and likely a red flag as general manager Ryan Poles weighed bringing him back. Nonetheless, Poles judged that he was getting the most out of the players.
“That’s the big thing: Are we maximizing what we have?” Poles told the Sun-Times before the season. “To me, it was yes.”
How about now?
There’s no way Poles believes he built a losing roster. The Bears have flaws, but they came in with good-to-great starters at nearly every defensive position, an enviable cast of skill players and the No. 1 pick in quarterback Caleb Williams.
For that collection of talent to sit 4-6 is underachieving.
“You don’t want to be 4-6,” he said when asked if he thought so.
Sometimes a 4-6 record reflects the talent level. That’s not true here.
“We are where we are,” Eberflus replied. “We’ve had some disappointing losses... but you can’t look back. You’ve got to look forward and you’ve got to look upward.”
More attention to the past might have stopped the Bears from bringing him back. Instead, they're looking upward from the bottom of the NFC North and forward to a new coach.
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