GREEN BAY, Wis. — When the clock at Lambeau Field expired Sunday night, the Bears’ clock began — for the NFL draft, where they have the No. 1 pick, but, more pressing, for the future of coach Matt Eberflus and his staff.
Eberflus offered neither a compelling closing argument nor a damning final gaffe in the 17-9 loss to the Packers. His defense, which has been the 7-10 Bears’ strength all year, held the Packers to two touchdowns and a field goal — but his offense managed just nine against a team that allowed 30 to the Panthers just two weeks earlier. The Bears weren’t blown out — though they were clearly outplayed — nor did they blow a late lead in the manner that so disturbed Halas Hall earlier this year.
Eberflus fought his fate to a draw. The best argument in his favor was not a rally — but, rather, inertia.
The question, after Eberflus’ job status, is whether the Bears will use the No. 1 overall draft pick on a college quarterback. If so, the Bears figure to trade Justin Fields, who went 11-for-16 for 148 yards against the Packers.
Eberflus’ bosses did not give him a full-throated endorsement in their comments over the past week, vowing to take a comprehensive look at his program once the season ended. But both president/CEO Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles praised the vibes at Halas Hall.
“I’m very pleased with the energy of our team,” Warren said Friday. “And it’s not only on game day — it’s around the practices, around Halas Hall. Just the energy. . . . Guys are playing hard. They’re competing.”
On the Bears’ pregame show that aired Sunday, Poles praised Eberflus as being “steady at the wheel” during a season that included an 0-4 start and the departures of defensive coordinator Alan Williams and running backs coach David Walker for what sources confirmed were behavior-related reasons.
“He fought to get back above water and get things the way they were,” Poles said on ESPN1000. “His ability to adapt and adjust, really take input from the players, to get this thing on the right path was incredible. I think a lot of people would have been in really bad shape and crumbled to the pressure. He got better with the pressure, and so did our football team.”
Warren worked for the Rams from 1997-2000. There, he saw Dick Vermeil go 5-11 in his first season and 4-12 in his second — and win Super Bowl with a 13-3 record in his third. The Rams’ surge dovetailed with one of the most impossible stories in NFL history — Kurt Warner’s emergence — but the lesson stands nonetheless. Consistency helped the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams win the Super Bowl and Vermeil eventually reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
That’s a lofty comparison — and an unfair one. Time will tell whether it’s relevant to Eberflus’ future.
