Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields couldn't have asked for a better setup. The Chicago Bears held a 17-7 lead in the 4th quarter. They were 15 minutes away from a third straight win. All they had to do was close the door and the talk about their job being in jeopardy might disappear. Then, as has too often become the case since they became a pair, things fell apart. Fields failed to covert in crucial moments. Eberflus' defense allowed 212 yards in the 4th quarter, and Cleveland rallied to a 20-17 win. It was another painful chapter for a team that has endured too much already. This is where Adam Schefter comes in.
Speculation continues to swirl about what fates await Eberflus and Fields after this latest debacle. The ESPN insider appeared on The Pat McAfee Show, where he was asked about the potential job security of other coaches and QBs around the league. The first place he brought up was Chicago. Two things stood out from the way he spoke. First, it sounds like Eberflus has won some people over in Halas Hall, both with how the team has rallied from its 0-4 start and the revival of the defense.
As for Fields, let's say his status is far murkier. It sounds like his hopes of returning hinge on whether the Bears land the #1 overall pick.
This Adam Schefter report shouldn't be a surprise.
That Browns game may have separated Eberflus and Fields from each other. While the 4th quarter was terrible, there is no denying the head coach had his defense playing great again. They sacked Flacco repeatedly and intercepted him three times. Under normal conditions, that should've led to an easy victory for the Bears. It didn't happen because the offense only scored 10 points despite those extra opportunities. This isn't an isolated incident, either. Of the 13 takeaways over the past four weeks where the offense had a chance to score, they managed only three field goals and two touchdowns.
Such failures fall at the feet of Fields. Not all of it was on him, but he's the quarterback. They hold primary responsibility for generating points. The Bears are tied for third with 23 takeaways this season. Despite this, they're still only averaging 20.5 points per game, which is 22nd in the league. The 2018 Bears had 36 takeaways. Their offense averaged 26.31 points per game. The 2006 Bears had 44 takeaways, and the offense finished with 26.68 points per game. These feats were accomplished with Mitch Trubisky and Rex Grossman at quarterback.
Adam Schefter may have hit on the main point. While Eberflus isn't perfect, he's done his job better than Fields has up to this point.
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