Once Matt Eberflus took over play-calling duties in 2023, the Chicago Bears' defense was a pretty good unit. They played fast, disciplined football focused on turnovers, and when it worked as intended, it was fun to watch. However, fans always had a problem with it. Many felt Eberflus had too many outdated tendencies. He was allergic to blitzing, even when it was clear his pass rush wasn't functioning. His overreliance on zone coverage also worked against him in late-game situations, making it easier for opposing offenses to find easy completions to move the ball.
While that style of defense has its place, the modern NFL has proven to be far too sophisticated to allow you to rely on it. This isn't 20 years ago. That is one of the big reasons the Bears hired Dennis Allen as the new defensive coordinator. He earned a reputation in New Orleans for exotic coverages and aggressive blitz packages. He often found ways to confuse quarterbacks and never shied away from attacking. If you didn't think Bears players hated the Eberflus defense, just watch them speak about Allen's to Adam Jahns of CHGO.
Tyrique Stevenson:
“The fact that he wants you to challenge at any time – two-minute, end-of-game – we’re never going to play scared,” Stevenson said. “We want you to go out there and show that confidence and show that you’ve been preparing to use your techniques.”
Stevenson loves it.
“It’s definitely part of my game,” he said. “And I definitely appreciate that he’s bringing it back out and allowing the confidence to show when you go out there in coverage. I definitely appreciate (Allen) for bringing that back here and I definitely love the confidence from this coaching staff to go out there and play at a high level.”
Kyler Gordon:
“Being used in all ways except just one,” he said.
Of course, that means the possibility of more blitzing for him.
“It just means more opportunities to affect the quarterback,” Gordon said. “And if I get a chance to do that, I’m definitely going to take that opportunity and make the most of it. The more I get, the more I can do.”
Gervon Dexter:
“(It’s) the ability for me to make plays in this defense, not only in one position but more so, there’s different ways that I can make plays in this defense as a (defensive) tackle,” Dexter said. “And I like to make plays.”
Players clearly felt Matt Eberflus shackled them.
His system had zero flexibility. Everybody had a specific role and must adhere to it, even if they felt capable of doing more. The passive approach undoubtedly rankled them as well. Matt Eberflus would basically let offenses dictate the games, expecting them to make a mistake at some point. That can work sometimes, but not against the better teams in the league. NFL rules today make it far too easy for good quarterbacks and good play-callers to execute efficiently. That is why it is far better to attack. Don't let opponents find a rhythm. Sure, there are risks of allowing big plays with such an approach, but the trade-off is the chance to force more mistakes. Six of the seven teams that led the league in blitz percentage last year made the playoffs. Four of the last seven Super Bowl champions ranked in the top 10.
Bears players understood there were consequences for Eberflus' basic style. They didn't complain because it wouldn't have been productive. Now free of those shackles, it's pretty clear how frustrated they were.
