Why One Chicago Bears Coach Is On The Hot Seat This Year

The Chicago Bears coaching staff enters its second season in charge under Matt Eberflus. Nobody would think this is the time to think about hot seats. The roster they inherited got torn down by GM Ryan Poles. It would always take time before things pointed in the right direction. After a second off-season of work, the talent level appears to have risen significantly in several areas. If this staff does its job, some believe it's not crazy to see the Bears finishing with a winning record. Whether they're up to the challenge is the question.

While Luke Getsy did a good job last year getting the most out of his talent on offense, the same can't be said of his counterpart on defense. Alan Williams has the full backing of Eberflus to run that Tampa-2 system. His first season did not go well. The unit finished with a paltry 20 sacks and ranked 32nd in points allowed. This isn't an isolated incident for Williams, either. The last time he held a defensive coordinator job in 2013, the Minnesota Vikings allowed the most points in the league. It's hard not to feel like this is a disturbing trend, raising concerns about his qualifications to hold that job.

That is why Williams should be on the hot seat this year if the defense doesn't improve.

The Chicago Bears coaching staff must hold itself accountable.

Eberflus always talks about holding the players to a high standard. Circumstances don't matter. The standard is the standard. Either you meet it, or the team will find somebody else who will. That should apply to the coaching staff itself as well. Eberflus' job is to give his team the best chance to win on Sundays. He can't let loyalty to an assistant cloud his better judgment. Williams has zero track record to fall back on at this point. If the Bears' defense doesn't improve despite the massive investments they made to it with guys like Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, Tyrique Stevenson, Gervon Dexter, DeMarcus Walker, and Zacch Pickens? Blame will shift to the coaching.

That is why Williams should be feeling nervous. The excuses of lacking talent aren't there anymore. The Chicago Bears put pieces in place to make this defense better. It's his job to get the most out of them. If he can't, they must find somebody who will. Poles raised expectations this year. That should go for everybody. Williams has more questions to answer than any coach on this staff. It's now or never for him.