Nine games left. That is how long Matt Eberflus has to alter the perception of him. GM Ryan Poles has remained steadfast in backing the Chicago Bears head coach. That isn't surprising. There isn't much else he can say publicly. However, anybody with common sense knows Eberflus has no leg to stand on. He's won five games in 25 chances. His defense is still among the worst in the league. Justin Fields hasn't taken a significant step forward at quarterback. Worst of all, his staff has now seen two assistants dismissed for HR-related issues. He can't possibly keep his job at this rate. That is why others like Kellen Moore are watching Chicago carefully.
They aren't blind. The organization will likely end up with two top-10 picks next year. One of them could be a brand-new quarterback. It would be a premium opportunity to set up a decade of future success. Moore is one of the hottest names on the circuit this year. So who is he?
Kellen Moore background:
It is truly a tale of two people. Moore was a quarterback in his playing days and a prolific one at that. He set multiple high school records in Washington state. Then he committed to Boise State, where he set the NCAA all-time record with 50 career victories, including a Fiesta Bowl victory over TCU in 2009. He finished with over 14,600 yards passing, 142 touchdowns, and 28 interceptions. Sadly, his lack of size and arm talent led him to go undrafted. He spent six seasons in the NFL as a backup before deciding to retire and join the coaching ranks in 2018 with the Dallas Cowboys. One year later, he was named their offensive coordinator. It was one of the fastest promotions to that job in NFL history and justified, too.
Good points:
In four seasons with the Cowboys, his offense finished top 6 in scoring four times. Dak Prescott had the best year of his career in 2021 with 37 touchdown passes. Dallas was also top-5 in rushing three times. Moore joined the Los Angeles Chargers this past off-season and now has Justin Herbert on track for 4,590 yards, 31 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. It's obvious he knows how to coach up the quarterback position while not ignoring the run. Moore is only 35 years old and has five seasons of coordinating experience. That is a rare combination. His background as a QB means he can communicate with that position and should have no problem developing a young guy.
Concerns:
Kellen Moore has only been coaching since 2018, and that's been mainly with one organization. That leads to concerns about whether he has the necessary connections to build a strong coaching staff. There is also the fact he's spent his entire coaching career swimming in great talent, both in Dallas and Los Angeles. Can he navigate a situation in Chicago that is still in the building phase? He also hasn't had many notable mentors. Jason Garrett, Mike McCarthy, and Brandon Staley aren't an elite list of names to learn from. It is also worth noting he hasn't been hired as a head coach already, despite his wild success in Dallas—something to keep in mind for the Bears.
