Friday, March 29, 2024

Expect Matt Eberflus To Use The Tony Dungy Method On Fields

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Chicago Bears fans are nervous. That isn’t surprising. They’ve seen this movie way too many times. A young quarterback with tons of promise can’t seem to get out of his own way and looks entirely overwhelmed by the NFL. Many are asking the inevitable questions about whether he has what it takes to play in the league. People keep trying to explain away his struggles to a bad offensive line and no receiving weapons. In reality, 297 passing yards, two touchdowns, four interceptions, and a 50.0 passer rating can’t happen. Not when your team ranks 2nd in the league in rushing. Head coach Matt Eberflus is at the center of all this.

He inherited Justin Fields. He didn’t draft the kid. That feels pretty important, considering where things stand. If the struggles continue, it’s hard not to feel like Eberflus will be forced into a difficult decision. One is to consider benching his young quarterback for the more experienced Trevor Siemian. The other is whether he and GM Ryan Poles might have to entertain the idea of drafting a quarterback in 2023.

To answer those questions, it’s crucial to understand Eberflus the person.

This man comes from the same coaching stock as Hall of Famer Tony Dungy. He uses the same philosophies Dungy did during his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts, from setting high standards for intensity to grading players on loafs. Many don’t remember that Dungy also faced a similar situation to Eberflus. That of inheriting a former 1st round quarterback from a previous regime that was struggling.

No, it wasn’t Peyton Manning. It was Trent Dilfer. Dungy joined the Buccaneers in 1996. Dilfer had just thrown four touchdowns and 18 interceptions the previous season. It was brutal. The new head coach understood the situation, but he wasn’t going to pull the plug. Instead, Dungy decided to play the long game. He sat down with ownership and the front office to have a conversation. It proved to be one that saved Dilfer’s career.

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“When I came to Tampa in 1996 they had drafted Trent Dilfer with the sixth pick in the draft. We sat down, Rich McKay and I and the ownership, and we said, ‘We’re going to play Trent Dilfer for two years. I don’t care if we don’t win a game, I don’t care if we go to the Super Bowl. He’s going to play, because we have to find out if he justifies this sixth pick. Is he our guy?’ And we were all on board with that. And that’s what it’s got to be.”

Matt Eberflus is going to let Fields play.

At first, Dungy’s decision appeared questionable. The quarterback threw six touchdowns and 13 interceptions over the first nine games of that ’96 season. Then things began to shift a bit. Over the final seven games, Dilfer has six touchdowns and six interceptions, improving his completion percentage and passer rating. It was enough for the head coach to justify sticking with the original decision to give him another year. In 1997, Dilfer had his best season as a professional, making the Pro Bowl with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

That is where Matt Eberflus is right now. He is committed to letting Fields play this season out. The Bears don’t expect to win the Super Bowl this year. It is about development and finding out which young players will be part of their long-term plans. The only way to know for sure whether the quarterback has what it takes in the NFL is to let him play through the struggles. Either he’ll find a way out of them, or he won’t.

So Bears best prepare themselves accordingly.

There is a strong possibility the passing game will be hard to watch for most of this season. Eberflus is likely going to accept that. Not because he’s a masochist. It’s because he has to know for sure whether Fields can be his guy or not. The worst thing he can do is pull the plug too early on a young player, especially at quarterback. If Dungy could stick it out with Dilfer, then he can do the same with Fields.

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Tim Flynn
Tim Flynn
Sep 27, 2022 11:27 am

Regardless as to what this article focuses on, part of the problem IS pass protection and part of it IS play calling.

Hopefully, whatever changes to the O-line are made, it will help.

And, while it is clear that the run game must continue to be emphasized, the OC is not blameless in this situation.

repnice
repnice
Sep 27, 2022 8:36 am

I Pray this is true!

Dave Burrows
Dave Burrows
Sep 27, 2022 7:47 am

I ask again, is this Fields rookie season. Last year, he was benched for

Slim
Slim
Sep 26, 2022 11:08 pm

Everybody knows the offensive line sucks at pass protect he holds on to the ball to make plays hopefully a WR gets open and also talent wise at WR sucks no #1 receiver and the receivers by committed got hurt in preseason let’s be real about the situation.

glockworkorange
glockworkorange
Sep 26, 2022 6:42 pm

He’s bad. This regime needs to pull the plug at season’s end and pick up a QB in the first round. I trust Poles to find a replacement. And I do expect him to be ruthless with Fields.

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