Three games. That is now three games where the Chicago Bears held a double-digit lead in the 4th quarter only to allow their opponent to come back and win. It was 28-7 against Denver, 26-14 against Detroit, and now 17-7 against Cleveland. Matt Eberflus had everything going his way. The Bears had won their last two games. They were playing great on defense. Justin Fields looked better. Then it all came crashing down. Despite another great defensive effort for the first three quarters, a listless offense allowed Cleveland to stay within striking distance.
Joe Flacco made some big plays late, including a touchdown to Amari Cooper to tie the game and then a long drive to set up a winning field goal with 32 seconds left. The blown coverages and missed tackles were a brutal image, but Eberflus’ play calling on the final drive deserves criticism as well. There is also the reality that his choice for offensive coordinator, Luke Getsy, was taken to the woodshed by Jim Schwartz. He has been a consistent liability for this team. These are the kinds of losses you can’t make excuses for as a head coach. The Bears are 5-9. They should be 8-6.
Matt Eberflus is a choker.
There is no getting around that fact. Coughing up three double-digit leads in the 4th quarter across two months is something you can’t defend. It was his defense that allowed it to happen, regardless of how much blame people try to deflect to the offense. Good coaches close those games out. People will say Eberflus has fixed the defense. Fine, great. This organization has had great defense for decades. Outside of a brief stretch in the 2000s, that hasn’t done much to help them win.
There is no denying he is a solid defensive playcaller. Matt Eberflus had success as a defensive coordinator for a reason. Yet head coaching goes beyond that. His staff hires have been an outright disaster. Alan Williams resigned in disgrace. Getsy has zero arguments in his favor. Most of his success can be credited to Justin Fields’ improvisational skills. This coaching staff is a liability. Talent is no longer a problem for the Bears. If they want to reach the next level, they need guys in charge who can establish a winning identity.
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