Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields didn't seem like they were tied at the hip when the regular season began. Fields was under far more pressure after the Chicago Bears worked hard to improve the offense around him. They gambled that he could take a step forward rather than starting over at quarterback. However, events over the past two months suggest the head coach is in hot water too. The team is 3-7. Eberflus has six total wins, with only seven left to play in 2023. Fields has missed four games with a dislocated thumb, which hasn't helped his case either.
Both of them are on shaky ground. They need some positive momentum if they're going to save their jobs. So it seems rather fitting that their fates will likely be decided by the four games they play over the next five weeks. It will feature two against the Detroit Lions, one against the Minnesota Vikings, and another against the Cleveland Browns. Forget the playoffs. There are different reasons why this stretch is so vital.
Eberflus:
- He's winless against the NFC North. Three of the four games are against such opponents.
- His defense has allowed 58 points combined vs. the Lions.
- He's 1-10 against teams with winning records. All three opponents have winning records.
Fields:
- Three of the four games will be against a top-10 defense
- Fields is one of the worst QBs in the league against top 10 defenses
Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields have no wiggle room now.
The head coach barely beat the hapless Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football last week. If his team struggled to put them away, it's hard to imagine him giving the streaking Lions, Vikings, or Browns any kind of scare. Never mind beating them. As for Fields, he hasn't played in a month. While his thumb might be healthy, rust is a factor to consider. The last time he went on the road into Detroit, he threw for 75 yards, a pick-six, lost a fumble, and got sacked seven times. He'll be facing the #2 run defense in the league, so that likely won't save him.
Make no mistake. Matt Eberflus and Justin Fields have no guarantees about their futures. The head coach gets consistently outclassed by well-coached opponents. The quarterback can't summon his best against disciplined defenses. If the Bears go winless in the coming stretch and look bad most of the way, signs point to neither being back in 2024. Whispers already persist that GM Ryan Poles is ready for a change at quarterback. His head coach might force his hand as well.
The next 30 days could decide the future of this organization.
