Matt Eberflus ready to set a new tone for Chicago Bears in Week 1

The regular season is here and perhaps the only thing that rivals the anticipation for the opening weekend is the preparation that coaches and players are putting in around the league, the Chicago Bears included. Notably, third-year head coach Matt Eberflus took to the podium on Wednesday to discuss opening week, where he thinks the team is, and the growing hype around the budding stars on this young roster.

Referencing the team's preparation and attitude ahead of their home debut against the Tennessee Titans, Eberflus confidently answered, "I like where the guys are, I like their mindset, like their mentality... we're focused on us, honestly. What we do, how we do it, and doing it really well."

Eberflus remains focused on his team's performance, not the opponent's, but was eager to emphasize the significance of starting the season with wins, both with the media and his team. "I think it's always important [to start fast]," Eberflus explained. "Just look at the numbers, look at who makes it to the post-season, they start fast... The guys understand how important it is to start fast." Flus also mentioned that in various periods throughout the off-season, he informed the team that all of last season's NFC playoff participants started the year with no worse than a 2-2 record, serving as a reminder of the need to start with wins instead of close losses.

Matt Eberflus ready to set a new tone for the Chicago Bears.

When discussing the newness of the team, especially its coordinators on both offense and defense, Eberflus expanded, saying "We have to be sound in our schemes, we have to play fast, we have to be very good in our execution... we've got to be aggressive, we have to play with good fundamentals, we have to tackle well, play with good leverage, all the things that winning football is."

Eberflus's focus on the fundamentals of football will undoubtedly help this team stay grounded as they navigate the start of the season together, but the head coach was expressive of his excitement for this new era of Chicago Bears football. "I'm just really excited about us, the Chicago Bears, competing together in a football game and seeing it all the way through," Eberflus explained before pivoting to his rookie quarterback.

"It's exciting, it really is. I'm excited to see [Caleb Williams' debut] and see him lean in and on his teammates," the head coach stated on Wednesday, "because that's what you have to do as a quarterback. He's got guys around him that have played a lot of years, and again he's a rookie, so he's just been leaning on those guys and getting the ball to those guys and letting them get to work."

Like every fan and pundit across Chicago, Eberflus seems ready for the regular season to get underway, but as the head coach, his main duties remain with his team, their mindsets, and helping them navigate the ups and downs of an NFL season. With a rookie quarterback and several new contributors on offense, defense, and special teams, Eberflus seems to understand that the Bears might not look like Super Bowl contenders out of the gate, but remains persistently optimistic in the team's direction moving forward.