As the Chicago Bears get ready for their season finale in Week 18 against the Green Bay Packers, it's truly time to start looking ahead.
What the organization chooses to do this offseason, whether it be with Justin Fields, Matt Eberflus, Luke Getsy, or some of their key impending free agents and contract situations, has yet to be seen. But, the fact is, there are some big-time decisions ahead for general manager Ryan Poles.
But, let's focus quickly on coaching. The report which came out a couple of days ago suggested the Bears were going to keep Eberflus on as head coach. Some fans love it. Some fans hate it. Others, like myself, are caught in the middle.
Why could it actually be the right move, though? I'll break it down in three easy segments.
1. Tough situation to fire a coach
The fact of the matter is, Chicago has now won four out of their last five games and five of their last seven. The Bears began the season 1-5, but have climbed their way to 7-9. If they end up beating the Packers in Week 18, firing Eberflus might actually be a bad look.
To end the year going 5-1 in their last six and capping it off by beating their bitter division rival, the Bears could be cutting the improvement and positive changes short.
Say what you want about Eberflus, but at this point, he's been doing something right. The Bears are winning football games even in spite of poor offensive play-calling. Assuming Eberflus and Poles find the correct Luke Getsy replacement, this team might not be too far off with they way they've been playing.
2. Defense has made major strides
There is no denying what Eberflus has been able to accomplish with this defense. The acquisition of Montez Sweat has made an overwhelming difference, but Eberflus has also done wonders in how he's turned things around.
Since Week 5, this Chicago defense ranks first in yards per game, first in opposing quarterback rating and sixth in points per game. The Bears have currently allowed five-straight opponents to 20 points or less, including four of them under 20 altogether.
The Bears are also first against the run on the season, allowing just 84.0 yards per game. That is an incredible statistic, considering Chicago was second-to-last in that category a year ago.
Historically, the Bears have been all about defense. And, while many fans would like to see Chicago catch up and find themselves an innovative play-caller on offense (which, yes, is much-needed), we need to give credit where credit is due and recognize what Eberflus has done.
This Bears defense could easily be a top-10 or even top-5 unit next year with the way things are going, and much of that is due to how Eberflus has taken over play-calling since the departure of Alan Williams. He's been outstanding.
3. Continuity and belief within team's stars
Finally, there is something to be said about a coach that not only has a positive relationship with his star players, but truly believes in their talent. Following D.J. Moore's big game against the Falcons, Eberflus had this to say:
"What I recognize watching the tape is how strong he is. His contact balance is unbelievable. What you recognize from that tape is his ability to track the football. You see some of the those catches over the shoulder. We all rewatched them. It's just pretty amazing how he can track that football, especially in the snow. I had a hard time seeing it. I had my gameplan up, the snow was coming down, I could barely see the field. Not sure how he tracked the ball during that weather, but man, it's something else and he's a special guy."
And of course, the head coach had to show some love to his quarterback, Justin Fields.
Eberflus praised his quarterback after the win against Atlanta:
"He's been more consistent. We like what he's done the last six games in terms of the turnovers, the sacks, touchdowns, taking care of the football, throwing the ball down the field," he told the media (via team official website).
As for some of the major critiques on Fields and his throwing ability, Eberflus sees what some might not, and he believes in the young quarterback:
"He continues to throw the ball down the field with accuracy, which is really cool. He's done that his whole career, we're just taking more shots now."
Rather than starting over with a brand-new quarterback and facing a reality where the team would have to buy in and trust another leader under center, it's important to note how much Eberflus believes in Fields and his top target in Moore.
This offseason is going to be a big one, but there's something to be said about continuity, especially when things are trending in the right direction.