Following a very public loss on Sunday Night Football against the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus met with the media on Monday to discuss what he saw from his team now that the dust has settled.
With some time to reflect on the tough loss, Eberflus continues to think positively about his team and rookie quarterback, though early struggles have been apparent.
Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus Believes Caleb Williams’ Turnovers Are ‘Great Learning Experience’
In Week 1, first-year QB Caleb Williams managed to avoid a single turnover, and he didn’t put the ball in harm’s way at all in his NFL debut. That changed on Sunday night.
Williams finished Week 2 with a pair of interceptions and a third pick that was voided due to a penalty.
These turnovers weren’t solely on Williams, as the entire offense was being eaten alive for most of this game. However, coach Eberflus pointed out that these mistakes — specifically the interception that got called back — are going to help Williams develop into the quarterback they know he can be.
“Obviously, in football, you never want to throw across the field on a scramble because the guys have more time, more space to close,” Eberflus said. “That’s just a great learning experience for him and exposure for him to be able to learn from that.”
LOCKSMITH ON LOCK 🔐
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— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 16, 2024
No coach in the NFL wants their quarterback to throw interceptions, but Eberflus understands the situation Chicago is in. They’re bringing a rookie quarterback into an offense that looks really strong on paper, but in the actual game, has fallen flat.
Williams is going through his rookie stage of learning through mistakes. By the end of the season, the mistakes made in Week 2 will be what helps Williams develop the way he needs to.
Eberflus Proud of Defense, Still Have Things To Clean Up
With the defense being the brightest point of this team through two weeks, Eberflus noted how proud he was of this unit and its ability to fight through the entire game.
But he understands not everything was perfect defensively against Houston.
“I was proud of the guys, how they hung in there and executed,” Eberflus said. “Again, we weren’t perfect. There were some things that we need to clean up, things we need to do better. We win and lose as a football team. We have to do a better job on a couple things.”
With as many new pieces as the Bears’ offense added this offseason — Caleb Williams, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, D’Andre Swift, Coleman Shelton, Ryan Bates, and Gerald Everett — and new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, the early struggles were expected.
However, defensively, Chicago has been one of the strongest units since Week 10 of last season.
Interceptions per Pass Attempt: 5.1% (1st)
First Downs Allowed per Game: 16.3 (3rd)
Net Yards per Pass Attempt: 5.8 (5th)
4th Down Conversion %: 43.8% (6th)
Yards Allowed per Game: 303.6 (9th)
Yards Allowed per Play: 5.1 (9th)
With how this team is playing, 2018 Bears vibes are returning to some fans’ minds.
In 2018, the Bears were one of the best defensive units in the league, following the lead of former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. He is considered one of the top active defensive gurus in the game, and that was certainly true while he was with Chicago in 2018.
Considering Eberflus’ defensive background, it makes sense as to why this unit is outperforming the offense so much this season.
And while this defense might be one of the top units this year, Eberflus understands there needs to be a level of consistency with their games moving forward. If Chicago wants to be a competitive team in the NFL towards the end of the season, this team must become more consistent across all phases.
Bears Need To Find Consistency for Entire Game
A constant through two games this season for the Bears is that they’ve usually played two different halves of football.
In Week 1, the Bears’ offense struggled a bit all game. The defense turned a lenient first half into a dominant second half.
However, in Week 2, the lack of consistency remained present.
On Sunday night against the Texans, Chicago’s offense started the game strong. Williams was a perfect 5-for-5 with 55 yards, and yet, his second half was a much different story.
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Now, it’s important to note that Williams’ early struggles have been rooted in a lack of protection around him. Whether it be the offensive line, tight ends, running backs, or Williams himself, the Bears’ protection hasn’t been adequate. And because of that, the Texans had no trouble wrecking the Bears’ offensive game plan on Sunday.
Defensively, though, Chicago had another lenient first half followed by an elite second half.
The tale of two halves is something Eberflus recognizes, and it’s something he expects to be figured out immediately, especially considering this team’s aspirations.
“I think for our football team, the consistency is what we’re searching for,” Eberflus said. “When we can play at a high level the entire game, I think that’s going to be beneficial for our football team.”
When looking at both games sectioned off by each half, it’s clear that this team is strong at making second-half adjustments, which is a major aspect of Eberflus’ coaching this season.
In the first half of both games this season, the Bears were outscored 33-13. Then, in the second halves of Week 1 and Week 2, Chicago outscored its opponents 24-3.
With a point differential of +1 through the season, it shows Chicago is close to where they need to be as far as scoring goes. The consistency aspect is what will push this team over the edge.
There’s a clear disconnect between how this team plays in the first half compared to the second half, but if it can find a way to be consistent through four quarters of play, the sky is truly the limit in Chicago.
