Multiple players have been asked about head coach Matt Eberflus and if he’s lost the Chicago Bears locker room. This comes on the heels of two games in which the team looked listless and half-interested, resulting in just 12 points scored and two ugly blowout losses. D.J. Moore didn’t outright deny the idea, even if he technically said no. Kevin Byard dodged the question entirely. It is clear something is off with this team. Nobody would’ve guessed that Darnell Wright would provide clarity on what is wrong.
Kalyn Kahler of the Chicago Tribune talked to the Bears right tackle after offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was fired. He stated replacement Thomas Brown intends to focus on basic, particularly violence and effort. Kahler asked if the effort was an issue. It was here Wright went into a speech that is equal parts tragic and damning for the head coach.
It also explains a lot.
“I don’t know if it’s necessarily, like, just completely effort. I know guys are trying hard, but there’s just a certain passion that comes with it. When you lose a couple games, it’s almost like you lose that- It’s like the Washington game kind of took the wind out of the team. Because you’re fighting and fighting, and you come back and then obviously, like, a crazy ending, whatever, it is what it is, but it’s hard to find your passion as a team when you’re fighting for something and it feels like no matter how hard you fight, you just lose it in the end.
It just takes the wind out of you. I feel like that’s been kind of over everyone’s head, or just like, took the wind out of the team. It’s just a terrible feeling when you have that happen and just getting that passion back and that effort. I don’t know if it’s effort comes with that, but it’s just the excitement for the game and the passion for the game comes with that kind of feel.”
Darnell Wright indicates the Washington game wasn’t just a bad loss.
It was a breaking point. Teams have tough losses from time to time. It can be draining but rarely drags on your passion for the game. That isn’t the case for this team because it wasn’t the first time this has happened. Over the past year, the Bears have experienced this feeling multiple times. It started with coughing up the 28-7 lead against Denver last year. Then it was losing a 12-point lead with under four minutes left in Detroit to lose. Don’t forget allowing over 200 yards passing in the 4th quarter against Cleveland, dropping a 10-point lead in another loss.
That Hail Mary loss to Washington was probably the worst because of how hard the Bears fought to regain the lead. Then, in a span of 25 seconds, it was ripped away from them. The common denominator in all of this is Eberflus. His decisions played a central role in the Commanders’ getting that opportunity. His defense gave up all of those big leads in the other losses. At some point, it appears the players realized this guy doesn’t know how to win when it matters. Losing that way so many times can tug at your love of the game. Darnell Wright speaks the truth, and it’s why a change feels inevitable.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
B.S. on the Washington loss…….when they looked at the film, they would have determined that they crapy 3/4 of the game. They deserved to lose that game. My bbet is that the cheeese heads will kick some ass tomorrow. The Bears need a new coach and, a center and 2 guards.
Tired of hearing these boo hoo peewee football stories. These are grown men. At some point you have to grow a set of balls and have some personal pride in your play and give it your best effort no matter who coaches you. Then let the cards fall but at least you know you did your best.
The coach doesn’t have the locker room! They don’t trust him, and they obviously didn’t trust Waldron. When the players reach a state of despair, when you’re told how awesome you are, and then it gets flushed down the toilet, that’s despair! It’s worse than being defeatist, because it rips your guts right out of you. It’s like death! That’s hard to get around.
There should have been a deal in place to trade Stevenson away the following morning after that Washington game. Everyone is free to their own opinion, mine isn’t budging.
It is likely true and the case here. But Wright could also have been motivated that by attacking Flus, he might be able to save Poles’ position. Call it mutual likeability and loyalty between, say, father and son.