Most people are happy the Chicago Bears have reached their bye week. It is close to the middle of the season. That is usually where you want it, giving players a needed rest. It also gives the team a chance to heal from injuries. Chicago suffered losses on the defensive side, with Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon, and Tyrique Stevenson all going down. The two weeks off should give them a good chance to return in time for the big matchup with the Washington Commanders next Sunday. However, one person isn’t all that happy about the bye week’s timing: Matt Eberflus.
The head coach welcomes the rest period and buys time for key guys to heal. That isn’t the problem. A source informed SM that he and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron feel the timing of the bye has proven bad because of Caleb Williams. The rookie quarterback is on a hot streak, throwing seven touchdowns and only one interception in his last three games. Momentum is on his side. Eberflus doesn’t want to lose that. Spending a week with no game threatens to cool the young quarterback down.
Matt Eberflus’ stance is not without merit.
He has seen such a scenario unfold before. In 2022, Justin Fields was playing really well from late October through mid-November. He had 13 touchdowns and only two interceptions in four games. Unfortunately, an injury caused him to miss the next game, and then the bye arrived. When Fields returned, his momentum had noticeably slowed, with only five touchdowns and three interceptions in the next four games. While that outcome did land the Bears the #1 overall pick, it also told Eberflus the importance of momentum for a quarterback.
The good news is Chicago plays a string of below-average defenses coming out of the bye. Even with the long layoff, Williams will have a chance to pick up where he left off. The problem is if he doesn’t, Matt Eberflus faces the prospect of entering the toughest part of the schedule in November with his quarterback not playing his best. This is the sort of stuff that keeps coaches up at night. No doubt Eberflus and Waldron will do everything they can to keep Williams locked in over the break.
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