GREEN BAY — As the Green Bay Packers completed off their 17-9 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the Lambeau Field video board lit up with the exclamation that the Packers had been “playoff bound!”
TV cameras swarmed Packers first-year beginning quarterback Jordan Love after his 316-yard, two-touchdown efficiency. Packers followers fortunately chattered and chanted as they filed out of the stadium, a well-recognized feeling after Bears video games because the Packers haven’t misplaced within the rivalry since 2018 and haven’t misplaced at residence within the rivalry since 2015.
The jovial ambiance discovered a hanging distinction in a quiet and somber visiting locker room, the place the Bears ready to enter the offseason with a 7-10 file, a second straight last-place end within the NFC North and main questions on whether or not the teaching employees and quarterback will likely be again subsequent season.
The first of these questions that Chairman George McCaskey, President Kevin Warren and common supervisor Ryan Poles should reply is whether or not they are going to retain coach Matt Eberflus, whose file fell to 10-24 over two seasons with the loss Sunday. The Bears have gone 2-10 within the division in Eberflus’ time in Chicago.
As questions have popped up repeatedly about his job standing this season, Eberflus has been constant in his concentrate on the day-to-day work. He was no completely different Sunday when, down the corridor from that subdued locker room, he was requested whether or not he has any readability about his future.
Eberflus stated he’ll “welcome” conferences with McCaskey, Warren and Poles later this week.
But on Monday, Eberflus expects to take a seat with Poles in his workplace and maintain exit conferences with gamers — 10 minutes apiece, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. He’ll solicit suggestions on the whole lot from the efficiency and coaching employees to the Halas Hall meals to the schedule.
“That’s how we’re going to improve the Chicago Bears going forward, getting feedback from the players,” Eberflus stated.
But does he count on to be accountable for the Bears going ahead?
“Expectation is a future word,” Eberflus stated. “For me, I’ve got to be right here, right now. I have those meetings tomorrow and I’ll have meetings after that, later in the week — I don’t know exactly when that is yet — with ownership and everybody else. And we’ll figure it out from there.”
The determination about Eberflus’ future is sophisticated by the upcoming determination at quarterback. The Bears have choices with each Fields and the No. 1 draft decide in hand and should determine on the coach-quarterback pairing they need going ahead.
But on the staff’s pregame radio present, Poles spoke extremely of Eberflus’ management, psychological toughness, regular hand and flexibility throughout a season that obtained off to a very tough 0-4 begin, with regarding drama on and off the sphere.
“His ability to adapt and adjust, really take input from the players to get this thing on the right path was incredible where I think a lot of people would have been in really bad shape and crumbled to the pressure,” Poles stated. “He got better with the pressure and so did our football team.”
The Bears made simple progress beneath Eberflus of their closing two months of the season as they received 5 of their final eight video games.
On the defensive facet, Sunday was the sixth straight recreation the Bears have held an opponent to twenty factors or fewer. But the efficiency towards the Packers additionally was not the Bears’ best exhibiting to depart an enduring impression as leaders make their choices.
A Bears protection that went on a takeaway surge during the last six weeks got here up with only one turnover Sunday, on a Love fumble that Tyrique Stevenson compelled and Jaquan Brisker recovered. The Bears additionally sacked Love solely as soon as. And together with Love’s second-best passing output of the season, operating again Aaron Jones rushed for 111 yards.
The Bears had been taking part in with out Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson, who was out with a shoulder damage, and likewise misplaced rookie cornerback Terell Smith to a quad damage. But Bears gamers stated they nonetheless ought to have been higher.
“I feel like as a D-line we could have played a lot better,” defensive deal with Justin Jones stated. “We could have got more pressure. Obviously, we had injuries in our secondary. That being said, we’ve got to step up. We’ve got to make more plays.”
Said Eberflus: “I felt their pass rush, but I didn’t feel ours.”
And then there was the Bears offense beneath coordinator Luke Getsy and quarterback Justin Fields, which didn’t get in the long run zone, managed simply 192 yards and transformed simply 3 of 11 third downs. Fields threw for 148 yards and was sacked 5 instances.
That output additionally got here with accidents to middle Lucas Patrick (calf) and proper guard Nate Davis (foot), nevertheless it was a regarding regression after a strong efficiency in Week 17 towards the Atlanta Falcons.
If the Bears do retain Eberflus this week, the way forward for Getsy would be the subsequent query the staff should reply.
“It’s tough because you want to go out there and show what you can do on this stage and win out,” huge receiver DJ Moore stated. “When you don’t and come up short like that, it’s heartbreaking, especially because of the rivalry and everything that was riding (on this game) for them. To come up short-handed and not playing our best football at the end, it stinks.”
Despite the flop to finish the season, Eberflus believes he has the Bears heading in the right direction.
“The foundation has been set,” Eberflus stated. “The standards are set how we operate. And I do know the locker room, and we’re standing on solid ground. Hard work, passion for the game and enthusiasm for the game, and we’re just going to keep working together to build this thing.”
But will he get that likelihood?
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Source: www.bostonherald.com