Matt Eberflus is skating on thin ice. After two losing seasons to start his tenure as head coach of the Chicago Bears, he has watched a promising 4-2 start in 2024 deflate to 4-4 after back-to-back dispiriting losses to Washington and Arizona. Many believe things could spiral out of control if the team can’t collect themselves with a win over the New England Patriots on Sunday. A loss would send them to 4-5 and careening into next week against Green Bay, who they haven’t beaten since 2018. You can pretty much guess what happens from there.
Such an outcome would all but sink Eberflus’ stock among Bears fans. He’s done nothing to this point that would justify keeping him beyond this season. A change feels inevitable in such a scenario. Most fans already have their eyes on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. However, Marissa Myers of TWSN believes the McCaskeys decide to throw a curveball with something totally unexpected.
Something that is unlikely to get the reaction from fans they might hope for.
“There is a lack of discipline on the Bears under Eberflus, as showcased recently with Tyrique Stevenson’s actions to end the game against the Washington Commanders, and DJ Moore walking off the field against Arizona. For Williams to develop correctly at the NFL level past his rookie season, Chicago needs to make a coaching change. That change needs to be with a coach that can provide a spark, and manage this team correctly to get the most out of the talent.
That coach is Ron Rivera. While things didn’t necessarily end well for him in Washington, as he finished with a 26-40-1 record. There were many obstacles for Rivera to overcome on that team though, with the organization scandals that were happening off the field at the time…
…Rivera would be able to get the right team around Williams to support his development as the franchise quarterback. It would also be the ideal move for Rivera to get back into coaching, as it’s where he got his start originally.”
The Chicago Bears going to Rivera would be public relations suicide.
Yes, at one point, he had considerable success with the Carolina Panthers, winning three division titles, making the playoffs four times, and reaching the Super Bowl in 2015. However, he didn’t win more than eight games in his last six seasons as a head coach. Most people have memories of what happened to him in Washington, and it wasn’t pretty, even if a lot of it wasn’t his fault. Rivera also turns 63 years old next year. Putting Caleb Williams in the hands of an aging, defensive-minded coach on his third team would bring back nightmares of John Fox.
Chicago Bears fans do not want to live in the past anymore. Rivera may have been part of the 1985 and 2006 Super Bowl teams, but that was many years ago. It feels like the league has passed him by. They already tried the Lovie Smith-style approach with Eberflus, and that isn’t going well. The Bears have talked about embracing the future for ages. It is time they put their money where their mouths are. Turning to Rivera isn’t the way to do that. Hopefully, somebody in that building understands.
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@TGena
Great research on your “comments.”
@Dr. Melhus — I understand you are enamored with the Bears LBs: Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards. But let’s put the overall performance of these two players in perspective — through a quick comparison. NFL players operate in an environment that is unique to each of them. Teams devise schemes to take advantage of personnel, specific matchups, etc., etc. But, when the opposing team runs the ball — all players — no matter what scheme they play within — swarm to the ball carrier with only one purpose in mind — make the tackle. So, let’s devise a (not-completely scientific)… Read more »
I just wanted to apologize to everyone. It won’t happen again : (
Oooh, look a butterfly!
@bluridge —
100% — why can’t more people simply see what’s right before their eyes?
As a matter of fact, this site is too undisciplined for me. Scooby just allowed to run amok. I don’t feel comfortable here. It has no parameters or quality controls, similar to Da Bears.