The Chicago Bears won their second game in a row on Sunday, thumping the Detroit Lions 28-13. It was a complete team effort, with both the offense and defense doing their parts. Justin Fields accounted for two scores, while the defense forced three turnovers and sacked Jared Goff four times. Montez Sweat was once again at the center of everything, notching 1.5 sacks of his own, along with an additional four hits on the quarterback. This is not a development anybody saw coming.
There were multiple instances this season where the Bears suffered what felt like a death blow to their second. It was the 41-10 thrashing in Kansas City. Then came the 4th quarter collapse against Denver, where they squandered a 28-7 lead. Finally, there was the other collapse in Detroit, blowing a 12-point lead with four minutes to play. Everybody thought the Bears were dead. Yet here they are with two straight wins and climbing back into the playoff hunt. Sweat talked about the progress the team has made. The person he credited for it?
Head coach Matt Eberflus.
“Where I came from, it was kind of like just waiting on the season to end. But here it’s like every week is a new challenge and people want to play for the man beside him…This is a really tight group. Eberflus is a great coach. He keeps us motivated. A lot of respect for him as a coach.”
Those Montez Sweat comments can’t be dismissed.
Eberflus deserves criticism for a lot of the setbacks this season. His conservative coaching style and in-game management led to many of the breakdowns in the Bears’ early struggles. That said, nobody can dispute the fact. The team continues to play hard. They’ve been aggressive and intense every week. Since he took over play calling duties, the defense has completely transformed into one of the NFL’s best units. They’ve spearheaded the recent run of success that has the Bears 5-4 in their last nine games.
Nobody can say Eberflus lacks resilience. Given the heat on him from fans and media after the September and October disasters, many coaches would’ve wilted. He remained steady, keeping his players focused on the next game. Now, they’re being rewarded with success. Montez Sweat can sense it. His experience in Washington clearly affected him. His compliment of Eberflus compared to what he left behind is telling. It’s too soon to declare anybody safe, but it feels like the head coach won a critical victory for his job security on Sunday.
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A win is a win, Eberflus and his play calling has cost the Bears a couple of games. It is his first head coaching job. Yeah, I am still in the wait and see mode. But after hearing time and again that he had lost the Lockeroom and knowing now that there wasn’t a thread of truth to it kind of has to make me rethink a bit. I would like to know who these so-called insiders are because it’s becoming apparent I’m more inside on my couch.
I’m not sold on Flus yet. What I am also not sold on is the minute my boys start to show promise of any kind, we have another regime change that puts us back to square 1. At this point, I suggest Poles gives the whole coaching staff another season. Keep everything as they are. We are sputtering to life it appears. Having to restart all over again with a new coaching staff would be absolutely catastrophic.
It’s amazing how the Bears have never turned away from Eberflus and now that they are starting to win he’s being recognized.
My eyes were closed after hearing Sweat’s comments, not because they weren’t interesting, but because I had smoked a marijuana. Seven, actually. Injected directly into my ass. It was a great day on Sunday.
Eberflus is a good coach, Getsy, not so much. Keep ‘flus around and find a younger, more dynamic O.C. Let Poles do his magic in the next draft and free agency, and give the coach a slew of really good players. Fields is an amazing athlete, no way would I let him go.