5 thoughts following the Chicago Bears 27-24 loss to Atlanta
Thought No.3: Matt Eberflus is facing a big test as the Chicago Bears head coach
With Sunday’s loss still fresh in the minds of everyone, Matt Eberflus is facing a huge test as a head coach. This team is trending in the wrong direction right now.
He offered clarity in his press conference that the second down run after the first down run that Justin Fields injured his left shoulder out of bounds was supposed to be a draw run out of the shotgun for David Montgomery. It was a miscommunication.
If the issue was a miscommunication, fine. It happens to a young team like the Bears. But the way they have lost the last three weeks has been all too familiar and disturbing. The offense starts out fast, the defense gives up easy touchdowns on the following possessions, the special teams commit a bad mistake, and the offense has failed to score on their final possession the last three weeks.
These missed opportunities are hurting Justin Fields’ development and gaining experience on how to lead the team to a comeback win that this team desperately needs. If his shoulder injury is severe enough that he will miss significant time, perhaps even shutting him down for the rest of this year, it will set back both his development and the offense.
These repetitive mistakes made by mostly fringe players, fighting to keep their spots in the NFL are quite disturbing. The number of penalties the team has committed has been high in recent games although there are some questionable calls that the referees have made.
As a head coach, Eberflus must own these types of mistakes because they keep happening under his watch. While the players need to be held accountable all the time, this coaching staff deserves blame too.
The special teams gaffes have put coordinator Richard Hightower in danger of losing his job come January more than anybody on this staff. Depending on how the defense finishes the rest of the season, defensive coordinator Alan Williams is not off the hook either in my opinion.
This is nothing new with the Bears or any other organizations. Terry Shea was fired only a year as an offensive coordinator under Lovie Smith’s first season despite a lack of talent on offense. Both Harry Hiestand and Mark Helfrich were let go after Matt Nagy’s first year due to Nagy’s inflated ego. These things happen all the time in both the NFL and in college, unfortunately.
Matt Eberflus must be objective and make the right decision on the future of his staff. Do not keep them around because they worked together in Indianapolis or is a long-time friend.