Getty Head coach Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears are in shambles and at some point, the heat will begin burning the coaching staff.
After a week of microphone missteps and extreme turmoil among the coaching staff that saw defensive coordinator Alan Williams resign over “inappropriate activity,” per ESPN, the Bears fell 41-10 on the road to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.
Jacob Infante of WCGridiron took to social media on Sunday, September 24, and posed the question of whether keeping head coach Matt Eberflus employed at this point is anything more than a giant middle finger to the Chicago fan base.
The #Bears have never fired a head coach midseason.
But if you keep Matt Eberflus after losing 31-0 at halftime – and a 3-17 record through 20 games – what message are you sending to the fans? To the players? This is simply unacceptable.
“The #Bears have never fired a head coach midseason,” Infante wrote on X. “But if you keep Matt Eberflus after losing [34-0] at halftime — and a 3-17 record through 20 games — what message are you sending to the fans? To the players? This is simply unacceptable.”
Matt Eberflus Era Off to Worst Start of Last Several Unsuccessful Regimes in Chicago
GettyHead coach Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears looks on during an NFL game against the Kansas City Chiefs in September 2023.
Brendan Sugrue of The Bears Wire shared a similar sentiment, comparing the Eberflus era to the less-than-stellar regimes that came before it, and still finding Chicago’s current head coach wanting.
“This is Trestman 2.0”
“We’re back to the Nagy Bears”
Those teams were actually competitive for periods of time (yes even Trestman).
Matt Eberflus is about to be 3-17. This is a new level of suckage we haven’t seen before.
“‘This is Trestman 2.0.’ ‘We’re back to the Nagy Bears,'” Sugrue wrote, quoting criticisms he’s heard from fans during the Eberflus era. “Those teams were actually competitive for periods of time (yes, even Trestman). Matt Eberflus is about to be 3-17. This is a new level of suckage we haven’t seen before.”
Jonathan Wood of Da Bears Blog pointed out that in the two years since Ryan Poles became the Bears general manager, the team has spent four high draft picks on defensive players and signed five defensive free agents to considerable contracts in terms of either years, money or both.
Aaron Leming of 247 Sports and SB Nation commented on that observation, noting that the team appears to have gotten worse despite adding so many pieces on the defensive side of the football.
“Yup… I just don’t see how Matt Eberflus survives this season without a massive turnaround,” Leming wrote. “They’ve looked considerably more overmatched this year with what should be a much better roster. #Bears”
Bears Arguably Have Worst Defense in NFL This Season
GettyHead coach Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears reacts angrily to a play during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers in September 2023.
As a team, the Bears have surrendered 106 total points over three games, which computes to an average of 35.33 points per loss. Their average margin of defeat in the 0-3 start is just shy of 20 points (19.67). Chicago has tallied just one sack as a defense all season.
And it isn’t just one side of the ball that’s in tatters. Justin Fields entered Sunday’s game ranked 24th in the NFL out of 32 quarterbacks who have played enough to qualify, according to the advanced metrics employed by Pro Football Focus (PFF). He finished the afternoon 11-of-22 passing for 99 yards, one touchdown and an interception.
The Bears’ offensive line entered the week ranked 30th out of 32 teams before allowing three more sacks and five quarterback hits on Fields. Running backs Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson combined for just 69 yards on 15 carries and Herbert lost a fumble.
Chicago hosts the Denver Broncos — also 0-3 — next Sunday, October 1, at Soldier Field.