Matt Eberflus Gave Telling Comments On Bears' Bye Week Focus

Matt Eberflus is never one to waste a coaching opportunity. The Chicago Bears head coach knew the bye week's arrival after the loss to Green Bay was important. Yes, his team is eliminated from playoff contention. It doesn't matter. The only way for that not to happen in the future is to make sure his players continue to learn how to win. That is done by mastering every part of the game. Chicago has made strides in several categories in recent weeks. Their passing attack has improved. While still not great, the run defense has at least stiffened enough to be passable.

That begged the question of what Eberflus wanted to make the focus with the extra practice time he'd have over the last two weeks. Bears play-by-play man Jeff Joniak asked him this on the Bears Coaches Show. Eberflus mentioned a few objectives at first, but then he honed in on one thing he and the rest of his staff appeared heavily focused on.

This is hardly a surprise. Since Week 5, the Bears have had the ball with two minutes left and a chance to win or tie the game five times. They didn't win any of them. Ihmir Smith-Marsette fumbled against Minnesota. Darnell Mooney juggled the winning score until he was out of the end zone against Washington. Equanimeous St. Brown dropped a 4th down conversion against Miami. The offensive line allowed a 4th down sack against Detroit. Justin Fields threw a game-ending interception against Atlanta.

None of this accounts for the defense and how it has routinely given away the lead in the 4th quarter all year. That has happened in five games as well. These are systemic breakdowns, not focused on any one player.

That is why Matt Eberflus looked to challenge the team as a whole.

Executing the two-minute offense is a huge part of that. The Bears haven't handled that well almost every time they've gone to it. Defensively, their inability to get off the field on 3rd down has killed them late in games. Now some of this has to do with talent. The Bears just aren't a good team. They have way too many weaknesses across their roster. When that is the case, the margin for error is razor-thin. GM Ryan Poles hopes to correct that issue in the coming month as the 2023 off-season approaches.

Until then, Matt Eberflus must do the best with what he has. The Bears face the stiffest test of their season over the final four weeks. Their next three games are against arguably the hottest teams in the league in Philadelphia, Buffalo, and Detroit. Then things end against a Minnesota team that already beat them once. Chicago should learn a lot about themselves in the next month. Namely how far away they truly are from contending.