When the Chicago Bears hired Ryan Poles as G.M. and Matt Eberflus as the head coach, reactions from fans were mixed. Some were intrigued by the pairing given where each came from. Poles was a primary contributor to the Kansas City Chiefs juggernaut in the AFC. Eberflus was the architect of a consistently excellent defense with the Indianapolis Colts. Others weren’t convinced. Poles spent all his time with one organization, just like Ryan Pace. Eberflus was a defensive guy, unqualified to handle the critical development of Justin Fields.
In such situations, it is often good to get the reaction from people far better connected in the industry. Few fit that description better than Jay Glazer. The Fox Sports insider is among the best in the industry with all sorts of relationships around the NFL. His opinion is as well-informed as it gets. That was why it was encouraging to see him offer unprompted love for Poles when Adam Hoge of N.B.C. Sports Chicago spoke to him.
The praise of the Poles hire has been almost universal.
Most believe the Bears nailed that hire. He is widely viewed as one of the best up-and-coming executives in the league. A blend of old school and new age. Somebody with a vision and natural leadership skills. The ideal person to guide the organization out of the persistent mediocrity it’s been trapped in for a decade. Nobody seems to question whether he’ll do an excellent job in Chicago.
The more significant uncertainty rests with Eberflus. In the modern NFL., the standard blueprint for hiring head coaches is always grabbing a top offensive mind. Of the nine teams that made changes at that spot, seven went with an offensive guy. The Bears were one of those two that didn’t, which invited plenty of criticism. Glazer though, doesn’t seem concerned about that. He believes Eberflus is well-prepared for this opportunity, and players will love him.
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Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus certainly have a plan
It was evident from the moment they spoke to the media that their visions for the Bears were aligned. They want a tough, physical, fast, and intelligent football team. A team made up of players that love football and are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be great. Each has their methods in mind for accomplishing this goal too. Poles on how he’ll build the roster and Eberflus on how he’ll get the most of it.
For Ryan Poles, it is clear everything starts up front. He plans to have a team that dominates in the trenches. Not a surprise given his offensive line background. He even hired Ian Cunningham as assistant GM, another former lineman, to help him. Everything will be about valuation. Determining which positions are most vital to the team’s success and prioritizing them.
Eberflus? He already knows how he’ll separate the men from the boys.
That is with H.I.T.S. A philosophy he crafted during his time in Indianapolis, stands for Hustle, Intensity, Takeaways, and Smart. In other words, this is a coach that demands maximum effort from his players. He wants them to protect the football on offense and take it away on defense, and he wants an intelligent team that limits their mistakes. There will be no beating themselves during games.
It might sound overly simplistic, but one can’t argue its impact. The Colts defense embodied H.I.T.S. since 2018 and was a top 10 unit in three out of four seasons. Glazer does indeed seem correct. These two men are ready for this.
