Matt Eberflus cites progress when asked about the pressure surrounding his shaky job status
Matt Eberflus cites progress when asked about the pressure surrounding his shaky job status originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Candidly, Matt Eberflus has given the Bears plenty of reason to relieve him of his duties.
You can add Sunday's loss to the Lions as another reason. The Bears gave up a 12-point lead in the final five minutes of the game by playing not to lose. They played conservatively, running the ball, kicking short field goals and taking the ball out of Justin Fields' hands.
It was inexcusable.
On Wednesday, Eberflus was asked about the pressure he's under to prove to ownership he's the right guy for the job.
"Yeah, I could see progress. And I told the player in the meeting that we can show ‘em that," Eberflus said. "We can show them real, tangible progress. It’s our charge to take that next step.
"In terms of the pressure thing — really that’s the NFL, right? It’s about executing. It’s a week-to-week league. The story of the world’s written every single week. So that’s the way it goes and that’s where you’re at. That’s the life we live and I’ve been living it a long time. That’s the way it goes."
That is the way it goes. And coaches have been fired quicker for less than Eberflus this season.
In his defense, there is tangible progress. Finishing 23rd in offense last season, they currently slot 19th. The defense, which works directly under Eberflus, moved up from last to third-to-last between last season and this one. They are, however, 10 turnovers away from last season's mark.
Still, it doesn't feel as much has gone right for Eberflus this season. Let's review.
Coming into the season with an insurmountable amount of hype, energy and optimism, the Bears were blown out by the Green Bay Packers at home, 38-20.
The following week, Justin Fields cited the coaching staff for his struggles in the pocket, claiming his head was cluttered with too much information, disallowing him to play freely. He later retracted his comments, along with shouldering any and all future blame.
Alan Williams, the team's defensive coordinator to begin the season, unexpectedly resigned from the team. Later, the Bears fired another Eberflus disciple --- running backs coach David Walker --- because he didn't meet the organization's standards.
Following Williams' resignation, the Bears blew a 21-point lead at home to one of the league's worst teams: the Denver Broncos.
Against the Vikings in Week 6, Justin Fields dislocated his thumb. The Bears opted not to place him on injured reserve, despite him being out for the subsequent four games.
And finally, the Bears blew a two-score lead in the final five minutes of their game against the Lions. The Bears are on a 12-game losing streak against teams in the NFC North.
We haven't even touched on the team's inability to develop Fields into their franchise quarterback. Or, how about Luke Getsy's ineptitude in creating an offense tailored to his skillset?
The list is seemingly endless.
Remember, the Bears have never fired a head coach midseason. With seven weeks left in the season, firing Eberflus is entirely unlikely.
But, are the Bears ready to keep him around for a third season? If they keep Fields, would it move the Bears to keep Eberflus to avoid forcing Fields into a third head coach and another new offense?
Decisions, decisions. The Bears will have a lot of them to make this offseason. Stay tuned.
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