Matt Eberflus was probably working on borrowed time this season before finally got fired on friday. Many called for his job after the Chicago Bear went 7-10 last season, starting the campaign with four straight losses and a 2-7 start, which followed a 3-14 debut season in 2022.
The Bears were on their way to the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft following a trade with the Bears. Carolina Panthers the year before and it was questionable whether or not he was a franchise quarterback prospect – widely projected to be USC’s star Caleb Williams – should start his career with a coach who is likely to be fired.
But then Chicago started playing better under Eberflus. Here’s a timeline of how everything went wrong from there:
A 5-3 finish in 2023 saved Eberflus’ job
Players leaving a coach is probably the worst complaint, but the Bears didn’t do that. They were playing hard for Eberflus and the results were starting to show on the scoreboard. The turnaround started with a Week 10 win over the Panthers, then became two of three wins heading into their bye week.
After the bye, Chicago was 5-2 in its last seven games, including a victory against the Detroit Lions. The Bears still finished last in the NFC North, but general manager Ryan Poles said the improved play demonstrated their leadership and believed keeping Eberflus would be beneficial. maintain stability.
“Just in terms of leadership and stability,” Polish said. “I really think the head coach has to be able to steer the ship when the seas are stormy and really keep everything settled. When you’re going through tough times and you can keep everyone together, that’s the “Essential element in a big market like this. You have to be strong.”
New offense, new franchise QB
Keeping his job, Eberflus quickly made changes to his offensive staff in anticipation of adding a new young quarterback. Luke Getsy was fired and Shane Waldron was hired.
In three seasons at the head of Seattle Seahawksoffense, Waldron worked with Russell Wilsonthen helped to revive Geno Smiththe career of. The idea was that he could play a major role in coaching Williams during his rookie season.
It seemed like a good decision with Chicago starting 4-2. Yet after nine games, Eberflus decided the offense wasn’t working with Waldron and he was fired. The Bears fell to 4-5 and went 23 straight possessions without a touchdown despite a seemingly improved offense with No. 1 pick Williams running back. By André Swiftand the receptors Keenan Allen And Rome Odunze joining star DJ Moore.
Passing game coordinator Thomas Brown promoted in OC, but Waldron’s firing had the air of a head coach in danger taking action to save his job.
Late game incidents
Chicago’s record was discouraging enough, but what really worked against Eberflus were the late-game decisions that cost his team potential wins. In his third season, game and clock management seemed incompetent. The players had remained loyal to Eberflus, but the mistakes must have affected their confidence in him and were certainly a key factor in the decision to change coach.
The beginning of the end came in Week 8 when the Bears suffered a crushing 18–15 loss to the Bears. Washington Commanders on a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels to Noah Brown without further ado.
Three weeks later, the Bears seemed to have won over their rival. Green Bay Packers in hand. Chicago had driven 42 yards in seven plays, putting itself in position for a game-winning field goal on three passes for 49 yards by Williams.
However, Cairo Santos“The 46-yard attempt was blocked and the Packers escaped with a 20–19 victory. Eberflus and the Bears complained to the NFL that Green Bay TJ Slaton made illegal contact with a long snapper Scott Daly. But the league disagreed, delaying another crushing defeat for Chicago.
The following week, the Bears scored a touchdown, recovered an onside kick and kicked a 48-yard field goal to tie the score. Minnesota Vikings at 27-27 and send the match to overtime. Unfortunately, Chicago scored three points on its first possession due to a sack and a false start penalty.
On the ensuing possession, Minnesota drove 68 yards on 10 plays, with Sam Darnold completing six passes. Parker Romo kicked a 29-yard field goal to give the Vikings the victory, denying the Bears after a valiant comeback.
Turkey Day
This led to the Thanksgiving debacle in Detroit with the Bears having 36 seconds and a timeout to gain a few more yards for a reasonable tying field goal. However, after Williams was sacked, Eberflus did not use this timeout and the clock fell to six seconds remaining. All the Bears could do was attempt a desperation pass toward the end zone that fell incomplete.
All spectators criticized Eberflus’ poor clock management, but he insisted that he liked the way those last seconds went. What everyone saw was a head coach failing to give his team a chance to tie the game when they were in a position to do so.
This included the players, who then expressed their disbeliefand Bears executives who could no longer listen to Eberflus’ rationalizations and made an obvious decision that had developed over the course of a final losing season for a doomed head coach.
