Matt Eberflus’ excuses for the Bears blown Hail Mary protection are so dumb they defy perception

The Chicago Bears have been two performs away from taking a serious step ahead amid their rebuild. As an alternative they’re the laughing inventory of the NFL on Monday. At this level their busted protection on the sport’s ultimate Hail Mary has been seen hundreds of occasions, and from each angle — however simply as essential was the prior play, during which the Bears sat in passive, forestall protection, fairly content material giving up 13 yards to place Jayden Daniels in vary for a last-second heave.

We’re left with two plain truths: The Bears’ protection on these two performs was laughable, and the one factor funnier was how head coach Matt Eberflus tried to justify the choices.

Let’s set the stage right here on that ultimate drive. The rating is 15-12 in favor of the Bears, it’s the fourth quarter and there are 19 seconds left on the clock ranging from the Washington 24 yard line. The Commanders have one timeout left.

At this level there are two defensive issues in case you’re Chicago: Firstly, you don’t need any busted protection that would result in a landing, with a secondary purpose of stopping the Commanders from gaining 35 yards, which might put they contained in the efficient vary of kicker Austin Siebert, which might tie the sport.

First down: Daniels takes a shot downfield to Zach Ertz, attempting to select up a bunch instantly. It’s incomplete. There at the moment are 12 seconds left on the clock.

Second down: Daniels passes brief to Ertz, this time gaining 11 yards and the Commanders name a day out with six seconds left.

So, with Washington now at their very own 35 and having burnt most of their clock the Bears are in an awesome place. The sphere purpose is successfully off the desk, and all the stadium is aware of that the Commanders’ solely hope is to realize a handful of yards, transfer into Hail Mary vary, and hope to huck it to win.

Properly, everybody within the stadium thought this may occur — aside from Matt Eberflus.

NO, YOU’RE NOT DEFENDING TOUCHDOWN! THIS MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE!

The Bears got here out in a full forestall, giving Commanders’ receivers a strong 15 yards of cushion and with none means of creating a play. From their very own 35 there’s completely zero probability that Daniels can throw a Hail Mary, as a result of whereas he has a great arm, to achieve the tip zone from the 35 would require a go touring roughly 72 or 73 yards via the air — which frankly nearly no one within the NFL can do with accuracy.

That’s earlier than we focus on how getting a scrum all the way down to the purpose line takes time, and having the receivers run 65 yards at a dash, then assemble for a tip drill simply doesn’t mesh with how a lot time Daniels would wish within the pocket earlier than throwing the ball.

If you happen to’re frightened about receiver YAC they positive, play in a zone — however there’s no cause to run deep go forestall when it’s clear the right offensive name is to get a fast out and have time for one final play.

What the Bears did allowed Terry McLaurin to realize 13 yards, placing the Commanders on the 48 yard line now and decreasing all the maths on that play right into a manageable scenario. The quarterback now solely must via about 60 yards via the air to get to the tip zone, time is shaved off how lengthy it could take to get receivers in place. Every little thing is improved drastically.

One way or the other, even after dropping, Eberflus didn’t assume it was an enormous deal. In the meantime Washington knew it was secretly a very powerful play of the sport.

What makes this so infuriating is that you’ve two defensive head coaches in Eberflus and Dan Quinn, however Quinn understands offense higher than Flus understands protection. This can be a highschool degree mistake of drive prognosis, and Eberflus is doing this within the NFL.

Actually all of the Bears needed to do was defend the boundary … that’s it. If it’s an incomplete go then Chicago must resort to some ludicrous hook-and-ladder sort stuff to attempt to win, which they almost certainly received’t. If you happen to cease a receiver in bounds the sport is over as a result of the clock runs out.

The play earlier than the Hail Mary is the ballgame. Certain, it won’t lead to a landing, however by enjoying forestall you improve the possibilities for Washington to win by such an order of magnitude that it’s past comical to say the play didn’t matter.

As for questions in regards to the loss as a complete, Eberflus would reasonably not discuss that.

Yeah, I imply if I screwed up so badly my crew misplaced I’d in all probability wish to deflect and concentrate on the positives too.

The primary subject right here is that we’re to this point previous the section of “give yourselves a pat on the again” relating to Eberflus. Certain, you wish to construct Caleb Williams’ confidence, however sorry typically you have to tear your crew a brand new one. Tyrique Stevenson needs to be working 100 laps in follow for jawing with opposing followers, reasonably than going through the road of scrimmage and enjoying protection. Offensively there needs to be critical talks going down on why Caleb Williams’ accuracy plummeted to 41.7 % and why his yards-per-attempt was 5.5 in opposition to a crew ranked twenty second in opposing YPA.

Matt Eberflus is now 14-27 since turning into head coach of this crew in 2022. We’re two-and-a-half years into this experiment, and it’s nonetheless not coming collectively. The person is out right here speaking about staying constructive and performs not mattering as if followers haven’t been pressured to endure two atrocious seasons, with 2024 lastly being an opportunity to take a step ahead — and being handled to turning into a laughing inventory as a result of you’ll be able to’t handle to defend the go accurately for 2 performs.

This all falls on Eberflus. All of it. I don’t care that he wasn’t on the sphere for the game-defining Hail Mary, he allowed this to occur via his teaching, his lack of know-how, and being oblivious to the scenario.

Get that man the hell out of Chicago.