The Chicago Bears improbably lost another game on the final play Sunday, as Cairo Santos's go-ahead field goal attempt was blocked by the Green Bay Packers. The 20-19 loss drops Chicago to 4-6 on the year and has brought head coach Matt Eberflus under heavy fire for his late-game decision-making. Again.
Earlier this year Eberflus was hammered for a defensive play-call that helped the Washington Commanders pull off their amazing Hail Mary as time expired in a devastating loss for the Bears. On Sunday, it was his choice to not try to get Santos any closer on his 46-yard field goal attempt that garnered significant criticism.
To put that decision into context, the Bears had the ball at Green Bay's 30-yard line with 35 seconds left. The Packers had no timeouts, while Chicago had one. Therefore the Bears had a very good opportunity to try and pick up a few extra yards via a pass play. In fact, they could have called multiple plays with one timeout. Instead, Eberflus apparently decided it wasn't that important to gain those yards. C
Chicago called a run play that gained two yards and, instead of calling a timeout to try and gain a few more, Eberflus let the clock run until there were three seconds left on the clock. Santos's attempt was blocked and it was game over.
Bears fans are very unhappy with the sequence.
36 seconds & a timeout.
— Aaron Leming (@AaronLemingNFL) November 17, 2024
There’s no excuse not to try & at least gain another 10-15 yards.
Matt Eberflus coaches like a coward. Year 3 & nothing has changed. They’ve blown more close games that Eberflus has total wins. #Bears
Matt Eberflus is the worst situational coach I've ever seen.
— Harrison Graham (@HGrahamNFL) November 17, 2024
That’s another loss on the head coach Matt Eberflus. You have 40+ seconds to try to get the ball closer, and you settle for a 46 yard field goal that gets blocked. That’s not going for the win. #DaBears
— Ben Devine (@Chicago_NFL) November 17, 2024
Matt Eberflus is so good at finding the worst ways to lose a football game.
— Brendan Sugrue (@BrendanSugrue) November 17, 2024
Hall of Fame level
Takeaways from Matt Eberflus' 30th loss in 44 games as the #Bears head coach:
— Matt Eurich (@MattEurich) November 17, 2024
1.) Fire Matt Eberflus now. This was as predictable as it gets. Put us all out of our misery and get it over with.
Matt Eberflus is such a pathetic and cowardly coach and the only thing more pathetic is the Bears refusing to fire him
— Justin (@Justin_14P) November 17, 2024
And the kick is blocked. Unbelievable. That's why you don't settle for a 46 yard field goal when your QB is cooking. Inexcusable late game management from Matt Eberflus again. https://t.co/QYxFIALfmD
— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) November 17, 2024
Matt Eberflus letting that second down just go down the drain was the most Matt Eberflus decision. Every week it's at least one dumb as a rock call. How does this man even know how to put one foot after the other?
— Stathole (@Statholesports) November 17, 2024
Plenty of harsh sentiments there but it is an incomprehensible decision to not at least try to gain a few more yards. Eberflus isn't calling plays for the offense after firing coordinator Shane Waldron, but as head coach everything runs through him and he is supposed to have better situational decision-making than this.
But apparently he does not and the Bears suffer yet another loss as a result.
More of the Latest Around the NFL
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bears' Matt Eberflus Blasted for Incomprehensible Decision Before Blocked Field Goal .
