One of the most puzzling decisions Matt Eberflus made when he became head coach of the Chicago Bears was delegating play calling duties to Alan Williams. He intended to become a CEO-style head coach who could assist in all phases. While logical in theory, it made no sense in practice. Eberflus had proven himself to be one of the most capable coordinators in the NFL during his four-year stint with the Indianapolis Colts. Williams had been underwhelming the last time he had the call sheet with the Minnesota Vikings in 2012 and 2013.
It played out as many feared. Chicago’s defense finished dead last in most categories last season. They allowed 25 or more points in the final ten games. When Green Bay scored 38 on opening day, the heat on Williams really began to pick up. Albert Breer of the MMQB recently revealed that Eberflus taking over play calling was already under heavy consideration. Then Williams abruptly stepped away from the team, citing family and health issues.
Eberflus called the game in Tampa Bay. While the defense allowed over 400 total yards, they kept the Buccaneers to only 20 points (the other 7 came on a pick-six) while getting far more pressure on the quarterback than they’d managed with Williams. They also stymied the Tampa ground attack at 3.5 yards per carry. It wasn’t a stellar showing, but it felt like a considerable improvement from the past several outings. Fans noticed it. So did the players.
Nicholas Moreano of CHGO asked several in the locker room about the difference between Eberflus and Williams. It was clear almost right away that players aren’t made about the change—quite the opposite.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
T.J. Edwards:
“I feel like he’s such a detailed guy,” Edwards said. “He’s going to let you know throughout the week kinda what he is feeling, what he is comfortable with, what he likes. So as a player, it puts you in comfort as well cause you know what to expect in terms of when the game comes. Kinda what he is thinking. I thought it was really smooth the way he operated. Meeting was smooth. It was great, man, honestly. The plan was really, really good.”
Jaquan Brisker:
“It’s his defense, so he knows the ins and outs,” Brisker said. “He lets us know what we’re going to do throughout the week. What he likes, what he doesn’t like. We are kinda anticipating the calls he is going to make, so we’re kinda anticipating the play. So that helps us on the field play faster. His energy, his detail like the discipline of it. You know all of it, I love it. I love Eberflus calling and doing what he is doing right now. We’re going to continue to get better as a defense.”
Josh Blackwell:
“Flus is just aggressive,” Josh Blackwell said. “That’s just his mindset. I think that’s what he wants in his defense. So, yeah, definitely. We appreciate that and enjoy that. Like I said, that’s the energy he brings and that just kind of resonates with us. We just kinda like the energy and kind of match it.”
Matt Eberflus may have acted too late.
If he had taken the call sheet from the beginning, there is a reasonable chance the defense would’ve been a little more respectable last season. That might’ve led to a few more wins. Now he’s in a difficult spot. The Bears are already 0-2 and face the likelihood of reaching 0-3 in Kansas City on Sunday. It will take a significant midseason turnaround to reverse the growing chorus of voices calling for his job. Still, it appears he already has the belief of the players. That is often the most critical step. They believe in what he wants to do.
They may still not have the horses to be a good defense, but there is enough talent to be at least serviceable. If the Bears can get that along with some improvement from Justin Fields, there is still a chance they can string together a few wins in the coming weeks. Matt Eberflus prides himself on staying patient in the face of adversity. He isn’t the sort to panic at any sign of trouble. That will be put to the test over the next month when his team’s season hangs in the balance.
At least he had the wherewithal to take control of his destiny by returning to what he does best.
