It was right there. The turning point Matt Eberflus needed. He hadn’t beaten an NFC North opponent since taking over the Chicago Bears. His team came out playing so well in Detroit, keeping the Lions on their heels and forcing four turnovers. Then, as has too often become the case during his coaching tenure, things went off the rails in the 4th quarter. Chicago held a 26-14 lead. Their offense had just led a nine-minute drive to drain most of the clock. All they needed was a stop or even a long drive from the Lions to seal it. Instead, Eberflus’ defense gave up a touchdown in 1:16.
Sure enough, the collapse began swiftly. The offense ran the ball up the middle twice on first and second down, then missed a long pass to Tyler Scott. Detroit got the ball back and basically ran it down the defense’s throat, capped by a touchdown from David Montgomery with 26 seconds left. Eberflus made it even worse by refusing to use his timeouts trying to preserve more time for the offense. If that weren’t bad enough, he had two 4th and 1 opportunities where he settled for field goal.
It was the latest in a long line of examples where Eberflus coached scared, and his team fell apart.
Matt Eberflus has nobody to blame but himself.
He got four turnovers and a great performance from his quarterback. All of the things that led to the Lions’ swift comeback can be attributed to his decisions. Passing up touchdown opportunities. Giving up long drives in barely a minute. This team is mentally weak, and that starts with the head coach. It is apparent the Bears are a more talented team. They should’ve beaten the second-best team in the NFC on Sunday. However, their biggest weakness has unquestionably become their coaching staff.
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A decision about Fields is a separate matter that remains ongoing. The Bears have seen enough from Matt Eberflus. He’s won six games in his tenure with the team. Two of his losses in 2023 came from epic 4th quarter collapses. There was coughing up the 28-7 lead against Denver, and now this one against Detroit. For all his talk about players needing mental toughness, he doesn’t seem able to get it out of them. Maybe that’s because he doesn’t have it himself. A change is needed, regardless of what they do with Fields.
Before awarding Coach of the Year honors to any on the Bears staff — have them address the penalties: 6(69 yards), in the Lions game.
This idea of player “development” by coaches heavily involved in lots of “who-knows-what” at Halas Hall, is largely a figment of Erik Lambert’s sycophantic delusions.
One might think Ryan Poles would take control — but he prefers to fire people on family vacations, like he did with LaMarr “Soup” Campbell.
Well, it was nice to see David Montgomery, again — wasn’t it?
Yeah — it’s a total clown show!
Fields dominated with 40 minutes possession and 2 score lead with 4 mins left!!! Soft prevent defense and predictable OC calls cost Bears an upset! FIRE the damn coaches!
It’s simple. Detroit had a plan for this type of game. They executed the plan with precision. The Bears have no plan when they are winning because it’s not where they expect to be. That’s the real problem. Eberflus had no vision of the Bears winning outright. He was stunned and just couldn’t figure out it was the intensity and drive that got them there. Instead he coached with his head in the sand. Oblivious to the reality of NFL football. Good teams don’t lose easily. You have to assert your desire to win on your players and on the… Read more »
We’re still considering whether to keep Fields or start again? Just watched Lamar Jackson squash Cincy (I record when I work), and Philly continue to use 4th down like their own private down.
Jalen Hurts is unstoppable with 4th and short. Lamar is picking defenses apart. It’s just what I expect of Justin Fields . . . . if the Bears only knew how to play him.
Those two aspects of Fields is what makes him far more dangerous than any other available QB. The only thing that can stop him are his coaches.
It’s the coaching.
Another season left daydreaming about the next offseason instead of thinking about playoffs. Pathetic.