As the Chicago Bears enjoy their bye week, a massive challenge awaits them after the bye — A rematch with the Washington Commanders. The same team that stunned them last season with a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown on the final play — a play that not only stole a win but also sent the Bears into a tailspin that derailed their entire 2024 campaign.
Last October, Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels launched a desperation pass that bounced off a crowd of players and landed in the arms of wide receiver Noah Brown, giving Washington an improbable 18-15 win as time expired, just as the Bears had taken a 15-12 lead with 25 seconds left.
What made the loss even more infuriating for the Bears fans was the explanation Eberflus gave postgame:
“It doesn’t really matter,” Eberflus said when asked why the Bears didn’t protect the sideline or press coverage on the second-to-last play. “It’s always really going to come down to that last play.”
He was referring to allowing the Commanders to pick up a first down with an easy 13-yard Terry McLaurin catch, and then, from their own 48-yard line, Daniels was able to scramble for the first down, allowing Washington to make it easier to set up a Hail Mary. Eberflus drew fierce criticism from the NFL media circle for defending his decision.
Following that loss, the Bears had several more baffling losses. They lost to the Green Bay Packers 20-19, for which he was blasted for his terrible clock management that led to a game-winning field goal being blocked.
Then, on Thanksgiving, they lost the Detroit Lions 23-20, which he did not take the timeout and allowed the final 30 seconds to lapse while the Bears offense was driving. Eberflus defended his decision, causing an uproar inside the locker room, and was fired the following day.
Ben Johnson’s biggest challenge
After a 0-2 start, the Bears are 2-2. Ben Johnson has already made an impact as a head coach. The accountability under Johnson is night and day compared to Eberflus, who never took accountability seriously. The players are buying into Johnson's philosophy, while Johnson is also holding himself accountable for the inconsistencies with his offense.
Johnson is tasked with changing the perceptions about the Bears, which have been plagued by their past incompetence. The Bears have historically struggled after bye weeks. They were 0-3 under Eberflus, 0-4 under Matt Nagy, and 0-3 under John Fox.
Read more: 5 thoughts after Bears' ugly win over Raiders and entering much-needed bye week
The Washington game is an opportunity for redemption. A win would not only exorcise the ghosts of last year’s collapse but also signal that the Bears are finally ready to turn the corner under Johnson’s leadership and earn respect around the NFL.