Matt Eberflus needs to be decisive on Chicago Bears offense

Matt Eberflus’ cellphone service was spotty Monday morning. Because of course it was. Why wouldn’t it be?

Seventeen hours after his Chicago Bears got trampled 19-3 at Soldier Field by a floundering New England Patriots team, Eberflus had his first opportunity to provide reassurance to the outside world with a concession that he sees exactly what they see.

The Bears coach had a forum, with his usual day-after-game appearance on WMVP-AM 1000, to offer a sense of direction by acknowledging all that has unraveled for his last-place team. Instead, over the span of eight minutes and 10 questions, Eberflus’ phone cut in and out. And in and out. And in and back out again.

Three times the call faltered, prompting an abrupt and embarrassing end to the conversation. It left radio host David Kaplan triggered.

“Coach, your cellphone is as bad as the offense right now,” Kaplan quipped as Eberflus’ connection hiccuped the final time. “I mean, come on, man. This is 2024. Can we get a freaking landline? What are we doing? Seriously. Get the man a phone that works. Please!”

So much for the idea the Bears escaped their latest demoralizing loss without a viral lowlight.

Instead, you can put Monday’s “Can you hear me now?” debacle into the 2024 facepalm library, on the shelf right next to Tyrique Stevenson’s Hail Mary defense at Washington and DJ Moore’s exit to the bench during the middle of a passing play in Arizona.

Wow.

Tyrique Stevenson seen taunting the crowd while the Hail Mary play was getting snapped.

Ultimately led to a touchdown that bounced off his hand.

Cant make this stuff up. #Bears

pic.twitter.com/1WklfpswtF

— Sky Kruse (@KruseSports_) October 28, 2024

Wait….DJ Moore walked off the field on a play?? pic.twitter.com/YWf2YjaBmq

— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) November 4, 2024

These are the Bears right now, sloppy and disconnected, with so many of their shortcomings playing on a loop nationwide as their once-hopeful season enters free fall.

Now it’s Eberflus’ duty — for as long as general manager Ryan Poles and President/CEO Kevin Warren allow him to keep his job — to find solutions for all that’s going wrong. That’s particularly important for an offense that has gone 23 possessions since its last visit to the end zone and 29 days and counting since rookie quarterback Caleb Williams last threw a touchdown pass.

Yet on Monday, first with that morning radio call and 3½ hours later during a 10-minute news conference at Halas Hall, Eberflus struggled to provide clarity on what specific “changes and adjustments” he was promising to make.

“I’m not going to disclose those right now,” he said. “I’m not at that point in the process.”

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Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams leaves the field after the Chicago Bears lost to the New England Patriots 19-3 at Soldier Field on Nov. 10, 2024. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

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Will significant changes be made? It sure seems that way, with Eberflus stating Monday he was digging deeper to identify the moves that made the most sense. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron remains the most likely fall guy, in line to be demoted or dismissed before the team returns to practice Wednesday.

Eberflus’ unwillingness Monday to guarantee Waldron’s employment for the week felt telling.

“Like I said, the process of that, we’re going through that right now,” he said. “All those adjustments and changes and things that we’re going to do, we’re still in the evaluation phase of that.”

Got it.

As for reviving an offense in complete disarray, perhaps passing game coordinator Thomas Brown can take over play-calling duties against the Green Bay Packers and create more direction than Waldron has been able to. Maybe other shake-ups will be deemed necessary.

Whatever the case, Eberflus emphasized that he remains empowered to make that call.

“It’s my decision. Mine alone,” he said.

Still, his inability to reach any decisions quickly or conclusively felt familiar and frustrating, perhaps illuminating a coach who lacks the requisite assertiveness to make moves with conviction.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Patriots on Nov. 10, 2024, at Soldier Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)

Eberflus even made a case Monday for possibly keeping Waldron at the controls of the offense, citing eruptions last month against the Carolina Panthers (424 yards, 36 points) and Jacksonville Jaguars (373 yards, 35 points).

“There is evidence on tape that we’ve had togetherness and complementary football and (that we’ve) played winning football,” Eberflus said.

Which, of course, is like the 16-handicap who just shot a 95 coming to the 19th hole to tell you all about the birdie he made on No. 6 and why that’s evidence he’s right on the verge of turning the corner.

The eye test tells a different tale for this offense, and it’s a horror story about a group that lacks confidence and cohesion.

Williams, after a stellar outing against the Jaguars in London, has spent most of the last three games out of rhythm and out of sorts. He has been sacked 18 times during that stretch while averaging a paltry 4.9 yards per pass attempt and leading only seven scoring drives in 34 possessions.

Pronounced struggles for any rookie quarterback are inevitable, but this has felt extreme. Like the Bears have no idea of what they’re trying to be.

And as the 2024 posteason hopes flicker, the organization can’t lose sight of the biggest-picture objective, which is to get its young quarterback across the finish line of his rookie season with momentum and direction for 2025 — and beyond.

To that end, Eberflus’ decision-making process this week has much at stake. The Bears need to make certain these next eight games offer a constructive environment for Williams’ growth.

With, in Eberflus’ words, “everything on the table” as far as potential changes to the offense, impulsive or reckless decisions should be avoided. But the Bears coach also conceded his moves have to be made “fairly quickly” to get the team reset for a big division game Sunday at Soldier Field.

So what will the big move be? Or will it be big moves, plural?

“When I have those answers,” Eberflus said, “I’ll get them to you. I’m just not at that point right now.”

Stay tuned. By the middle of this week, the connection might be a little stronger.

Matt Eberflus needs to be decisive on Chicago Bears offense

Byadmin

By admin

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