Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus believes he set the ‘foundation’ for success. Now he awaits word on his future.
GREEN BAY — As the Green Bay Packers finished off their 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the Lambeau Field video board lit up with the exclamation that the Packers were “playoff bound!”
TV cameras swarmed Packers first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love after his 316-yard, two-touchdown performance. Packers fans happily chattered and chanted as they filed out of the stadium, a familiar feeling after Bears games since the Packers haven’t lost in the rivalry since 2018 and haven’t lost at home in the rivalry since 2015.
The jovial atmosphere found a striking contrast in a quiet and somber visiting locker room, where the Bears prepared to go into the offseason with a 7-10 record, a second straight last-place finish in the NFC North and major questions about whether the coaching staff and quarterback will be back next season.
The first of those questions that Chairman George McCaskey, President Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles must answer is whether they will retain coach Matt Eberflus, whose record fell to 10-24 over two seasons with the loss Sunday. The Bears have gone 2-10 in the division in Eberflus’ time in Chicago.
As questions have popped up again and again about his job status this season, Eberflus has been consistent in his focus on the day-to-day work. He was no different Sunday when, down the hall from that subdued locker room, he was asked whether he has any clarity about his future.
Eberflus said he will “welcome” meetings with McCaskey, Warren and Poles later this week.
But on Monday, Eberflus expects to sit with Poles in his office and hold exit meetings with players — 10 minutes apiece, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. He’ll solicit feedback on everything from the performance and training staff to the Halas Hall food to the schedule.
“That’s how we’re going to improve the Chicago Bears going forward, getting feedback from the players,” Eberflus said.
But does he expect to be in charge of the Bears going forward?
“Expectation is a future word,” Eberflus said. “For me, I’ve got to be right here, right now. I have those meetings tomorrow and I’ll have meetings after that, later in the week — I don’t know exactly when that is yet — with ownership and everybody else. And we’ll figure it out from there.”
The decision about Eberflus’ future is complicated by the upcoming decision at quarterback. The Bears have options with both Fields and the No. 1 draft pick in hand and must decide on the coach-quarterback pairing they want going forward.
But on the team’s pregame radio show, Poles spoke highly of Eberflus’ leadership, mental toughness, steady hand and adaptability during a season that got off to a particularly rough 0-4 start, with concerning drama on and off the field.
“His ability to adapt and adjust, really take input from the players to get this thing on the right path was incredible where I think a lot of people would have been in really bad shape and crumbled to the pressure,” Poles said. “He got better with the pressure and so did our football team.”
The Bears made undeniable progress under Eberflus in their final two months of the season as they won five of their last eight games.
On the defensive side, Sunday was the sixth straight game the Bears have held an opponent to 20 points or fewer. But the performance against the Packers also was not the Bears’ finest showing to leave a lasting impression as leaders make their decisions.
A Bears defense that went on a takeaway surge over the last six weeks came up with just one turnover Sunday, on a Love fumble that Tyrique Stevenson forced and Jaquan Brisker recovered. The Bears also sacked Love only once. And along with Love’s second-best passing output of the season, running back Aaron Jones rushed for 111 yards.
The Bears were playing without Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who was out with a shoulder injury, and also lost rookie cornerback Terell Smith to a quad injury. But Bears players said they still should have been better.
“I feel like as a D-line we could have played a lot better,” defensive tackle Justin Jones said. “We could have got more pressure. Obviously, we had injuries in our secondary. That being said, we’ve got to step up. We’ve got to make more plays.”
Said Eberflus: “I felt their pass rush, but I didn’t feel ours.”
And then there was the Bears offense under coordinator Luke Getsy and quarterback Justin Fields, which didn’t get in the end zone, managed just 192 yards and converted just 3 of 11 third downs. Fields threw for 148 yards and was sacked five times.
That output also came with injuries to center Lucas Patrick (calf) and right guard Nate Davis (foot), but it was a concerning regression after a solid performance in Week 17 against the Atlanta Falcons.
If the Bears do retain Eberflus this week, the future of Getsy will be the next question the team must answer.
“It’s tough because you want to go out there and show what you can do on this stage and win out,” wide receiver DJ Moore said. “When you don’t and come up short like that, it’s heartbreaking, especially because of the rivalry and everything that was riding (on this game) for them. To come up short-handed and not playing our best football at the end, it stinks.”
Despite the flop to end the season, Eberflus believes he has the Bears on the right track.
“The foundation has been set,” Eberflus said. “The standards are set how we operate. And I do know the locker room, and we’re standing on solid ground. Hard work, passion for the game and enthusiasm for the game, and we’re just going to keep working together to build this thing.”
But will he get that chance?
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