Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus met with reporters Friday afternoon to recap his group’s 16-13 victory towards the Carolina Panthers at Soldier Field.
Here are 4 issues we realized.
1. Matt Eberflus stated he gave the sport ball from the win to all the Bears protection.
Eberflus had compliments handy round for a defensive effort that held the Panthers and rookie quarterback Bryce Young with out an offensive landing.
He stated linebacker T.J. Edwards, who had 12 tackles, “played really well” and famous a stat from Bears media relations stated Edwards’ 112 tackles are probably the most of any participant in group historical past by way of 10 weeks.
Eberflus famous the three sacks of Young by defensive linemen Yannick Ngakoue, Rasheem Green and Justin Jones. He stated new defensive finish Montez Sweat, who had eight quarterback pressures based on NextGen Stats, has proven “The Tez Factor,” through which all the protection is healthier when Sweat performs.
“He’s helping our guys rush,” Eberflus stated. “We’re rotating our guys a little bit better, keeping our guys fresh. That’s going to be important, because you want those rushers in the fourth quarter. The games are always going to be tight, and you want those guys at the end.”
Eberflus additionally known as nickel Kyler Gordon “dynamic” after Gordon recorded eight tackles, two tackles for a loss and a move defended. Eberflus stated Gordon is a playmaker with good instincts, and he expects his manufacturing to get even higher.
The Bears protection as a complete additionally wants to enhance in getting after the ball after going with no takeaway for the second straight recreation.
“We’ve got to get more ball production by the entire defense,” Eberflus stated. “That’s something that we need to work on and get better at. We certainly had opportunities yesterday. … We really have to seize those opportunities.”
2. The subsequent replace on Justin Fields’ thumb from Eberflus possible must wait till subsequent week.
With 10 days till their subsequent recreation towards the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, Bears gamers have the weekend off from practices. They can have a walk-through Monday earlier than resuming practices Wednesday.
Eberflus didn’t present an replace Thursday night time or Friday on the standing of Fields, who dislocated his proper thumb on Oct. 15. Fields returned to practices Nov. 3 and has been restricted in 4 practices or walk-throughs since.
Eberflus stated Wednesday that Fields was not medically cleared to play within the Panthers recreation, establishing rookie Tyson Bagent to make his fourth straight begin. He stated Fields continues to work with trainers to see when he would possibly return.
When requested Friday if Fields was pushing to play in that recreation, Eberflus stated, “All the guys always push me to play”
“It’s always up to the trainers,” Eberflus stated. “The trainers are the guys that make that decision, that clear those guys medically. When they do that, then we push them on the field and see where they are as coaches and then go from there.”
3. Kicker Cairo Santos made his two hundredth profession subject aim Thursday.
Santos made subject objectives from 54, 36 and 39 yards within the first half to deliver his profession whole to 200 over 10 seasons.
His 54-yard subject aim — 1 yard shy of his profession lengthy from 2020 — got here after he made a 49-yard try that was negated due to a Cody Whitehair false-start penalty. Santos has made 4 makes an attempt of 50-plus yards this season.
“Making that back to back like that really shows his growth,” Eberflus stated. “And that his leg strength is improving in this part of his career is really, really cool.”
In his fourth full season with the Bears, Santos has made 15 of 16 field-goal makes an attempt, his solely miss coming final week towards the New Orleans Saints. He has made 19 of 20 extra-point tries.
4. Wide receiver and kick returner Velus Jones Jr. was a wholesome scratch towards the Panthers.
Two days earlier than the Panthers recreation, particular groups coordinator Richard Hightower known as Jones’ face-mask penalty on a punt towards the Saints “unacceptable.”
With broad receiver Equanimeous St. Brown again from injured reserve Thursday, the Bears then made Jones inactive.
“If somebody sits down because of penalty or inconsistent play and somebody comes up because they are more consistent, that’s where it is,” Eberflus stated Friday. “We are always going to make the best decision for our roster to win the game.”
Jones has returned six kickoffs for 163 yards this season. Rookie Tyler Scott took over kickoff-return duties Thursday and had one for twenty-four yards.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com