Nobody envisioned the Chicago Bears would be in this position two months ago. They were a lost cause, falling to 2-7 at one point. Everybody was getting fired. It was hard not to feel discouraged. Nothing was clicking. The team wouldn’t stop making costly mistakes. There were some brutal 4th quarter collapses. Justin Fields got hurt again and Matt Eberflus’ vaunted defense was an NFL laughing stock. Now, here we are. Fields is playing some of the most efficient football of his career, and Eberflus has the defense swarming like a top-5 unit. The Bears have won three of their last four, sitting at 5-8 with an outside shot at the playoffs.
Their progress over the past month can’t be dismissed. One can make a safe argument they’d be 7-6 right now if not for those ugly 4th quarter fiascos against Denver and Detroit. The record doesn’t tell the story. After September, the Bears have played some good football. The question is whether it’s been good enough. Rumors have persisted that Eberflus might be in trouble as team president Kevin Warren conducts a complete evaluation of the football operations. That could involve a change at head coach. Albert Breer of The MMQB provided a quick update on the situation.
From how he phrases it, Eberflus may have secured himself a third season.
“With the Bears suddenly catching fire, both Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles have given their bosses (new president Kevin Warren among them) plenty to think about before they plan any changes. And, in fact, a lot of this has come according to plan—with this season earmarked as the time to reset the cap and flip the roster, and 2024 the first real year of building.
Taking all that into account, a bumpy Year 1, plus a Year 2 with a tough start and strong finish, is probably what Chicago would have hoped for.”
Matt Eberflus never changed his approach.
He remained consistent throughout everything, preaching the need for positivity, teamwork, effort, and intensity. Good results would come if everybody pulled together and played the way they’re capable of. Time has proven him right. Guys are executing at a high level. The team is putting up major stats and starting to win games. It is important to remember that Eberflus and Ryan Poles always had the long view in mind. They wanted to build this organization from the ground up, seeking sustainability. That required drafting and developing young talent. Such things take time and can often lead to growing pains.
The Bears have weathered the storm. Now, they’re seeing the fruits of their labor. Matt Eberflus has helped several young guys improve, from Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon, Tyrique Stevenson, and Gervon Dexter to Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, and Roshcon Johnson. Breer is correct. This team might be one more solid off-season away from challenging the NFC. Like it or not, the head coach has put them in this position. If he can finish strong, he will likely be back.
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