A lot of people are questioning the Chicago Bears' love for Caleb Williams considering the team has a defensive-minded head coach in Matt Eberflus. I missed the chance to leap in on that argument because I was too busy thinking about life with Justin Fields and his Michael Vick-like talent. The generational quarterback prospect and a defensive mind have been done before. Heck, it almost happened last year with CJ Stroud.
I have mentioned in the past about how an experienced quarterback can rock with a defensive-minded head coach. You don't get the clash like Aaron Rodgers with Mike McCarthy and Matt Lafleur. Jim Mora did it with Peyton Manning, and then the Colts did it again with Andrew Luck and Chuck Pagano. Yes, that franchise did it correctly by matching the quarterback with the head coach, but Matt Eberflus can't control when he has the first overall pick.
Speaking of Matt Eberflus, he got to witness one year of Andrew Luck vs. Tony Romo and watch Dak Prescott emerge. He Knows what it is like to have that guy in the building change the team's history. That comment isn't a shot at Justin Fields. What Prescott and Luck did for their teams is what every team looks for when seeking a quarterback. Chuck Pagano didn't have the luxury of going to the Super Bowl like Manning did. Luck retired early, and Pagano's only shots were to beat the Ravens, who won the Super Bowl that first year (Luck's rookie season), or Tom Brady each of the next two seasons.
A defensive minded head coach and work with a quarterback drafted first overall.
Andrew Luck won 11 regular-season games under Pagano during those first three seasons before getting hurt in year four. Luck bounced back in year five but was injured again and had season-ending surgery that cost him all of 2017. Luck dominated in 2018 and called it quits during a 2019 preseason game. On a random note, luck lost in the playoffs to Patrick Mahomes, who tossed 50 touchdowns that year. Luck could have taken home a trophy or become Philip Rivers. He chose neither.
Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles have the chance to strike that flame in Chicago. We are all certain they will. Early success should be a given. Maintaining that success will be the hard part. If Caleb Williams or whoever is the drafted quarterback works out slightly, the Bears will have a four-year window. After that, they would need to re-tool and hope their quarterback can play with lesser talent and keep that window open. The quarterback changes history that much. Matt Eberflus could be the next defensive mind to have a shot at greatness.