The Bears were right to attempt a screen pass from their own 6-yard line, based on the look the Buccaneers’ defense showed them before the snap, coach Matt Eberflus said Monday.
Quarterback Justin Fields has the authority to change the play if he deems it necessary, but there was nothing to suggest it wouldn’t work, Eberflus said — even if the Bucs said later they presumed a screen was coming.
“That’s a great look for that particular play,” he said Monday. “They’re in shell defense, the linebackers are all back. There’s no one really taking the linebacker in that situation, he’s a zone covered guy. The pre-snap in terms of what Justin was doing was A-1. There’s nothing wrong in there.”
Eberflus said the screen was one of “several plays” the Bears could have called, but was fine with the fact they did.
“It was there,” he said.
Down three with about two minutes to play, Fields threw an interception to outside linebacker Shaq Barrett, who felt a screen was coming by the way he was blocked, pirouetted and picked off a pass. He returned it six yards for a touchdown to seal the win.
