Eberflus' Bears getting the H.I.T.S. kicked out of them
Matt Eberflus’ downfall isn’t just that his team is losing. It’s that it doesn’t look like a Matt Eberflus-coached team in the process.
Eberflus’ calling card as a coach is instilling a relentless aggressiveness in his teams. It’s all about the H.I.T.S. principle — Hustle, Intensity, Taking the ball away and playing Smart. Eberflus’ Bears are all about being resilient, focused, disciplined — and playing with a verve that tilts the field toward their side.
But the Bears haven’t played like that kind of team during a three-game losing streak that has their season veering out of control and their coach headed toward oblivion.
When Lovie Smith was fired in 2012, his nine-year tenure had run its course, but the Bears still were playing like a Lovie Smith-coached team. The 10-6 Bears not only were third in the NFL in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed, but they led the NFL in takeaways (44), interceptions (24) and defensive touchdowns (nine). Those were Lovie -trademarks.
Eberflus’ Bears are tied for fifth in scoring defense and have allowed 21 or fewer points in 14 of their last 15 games. But while he has gotten the defensive coordinator part of the job right, the head coaching part of the job is where he’s lacking.
In Week 11, the Bears are working on -correcting operational issues that should have been settled in training camp. Their 34 pre-snap penalties are the second most in the NFL. The more they talk about “execution” and “the operation” and “urgency,” and “accountability,” the worse they get.
But it’s Eberflus’ signature H.I.T.S. principle where the Bears also are falling short. Tyrique Stevenson’s gaffe on the Hail Mary against the Commanders was an egregious lapse. The Bears vowed to atone for that disaster with a supreme effort against the Cardinals and fell flat in a 29-9 loss, -including another inexcusable lapse when Cardinals running back Emari Demercado ran past everybody — virtually untouched — for a stunning 53-yard touchdown with four seconds left in the first half.
And with the urgency even greater -Sunday against the Patriots at Soldier Field, the Bears again crapped out with a miserable, uninspiring performance against a 2-7 Patriots team.
“Going into that one we were confident,” linebacker T.J. Edwards said. “We were ready to bounce back. I thought our prep was good and everything like that. But . . . we just didn’t create that juice.”
Asked to explain such a listless performance in such a crucial moment, Eberflus . . . couldn’t.
“I would say our guys are together. They are determined. And they are a strong bunch,” Eberflus said. “And I believe and have faith in those guys. We’ve got to put our minds together and get to work for this week.”
The Bears’ last two losses have been punctuated by a disappointing aspect that should offend Eberflus’ football and coaching sensibilities — virtually zero pushback. The Bears rallied only minimally in both games — outscored 8-0 in the second half against the Cardinals and 6-0 against the Patriots.
And bad looks are adding up. Against the Cardinals, wide receiver DJ Moore walked off the field and to the bench in the middle of the play — he said he had rolled his ankle and his momentum carried him out of bounds.
On Sunday, defensive end Montez Sweat was late getting back to the line of scrimmage as the Patriots were trying to spike the ball to stop the clock in the finals seconds of the first half. The Bears were penalized for offsides and the five yards seemed to make a difference when Patriots kicker Joey Slye barely made a 37-yard field goal in swirling winds.
It appeared Sweat injured his leg on the play, though he was still able to sprint back to the line, just too late to avoid the penalty.
Maybe those apparent violations of the H.I.T.S. principle weren’t as bad as they looked. But that’s another symptom of what ails Eberflus these days. There’s always something.