Clock Controversy: Will Matt Eberflus’ Job Be on the Line?
Fast forward to second and 20 from the Detroit 35. The Bears were down by three, with one timeout in hand. Detroit sacked quarterback Caleb Williams, knocking Chicago back to the Detroit 41.
More than 30 seconds remained at the time of the sack.
The approach was simple, or it should have been. Run a play aimed at making the field goal shorter than 59 yards, call timeout, kick the field goal that, if good, would send the game to overtime.
But something happened. More importantly, nothing happened. The Bears didn’t hurry to the line. They didn’t get a play called with time to gain yardage and call timeout. Instead, Caleb Williams started the play with six seconds left. By the time his throw landed incomplete inside the five, the game was over.
It’s inexcusable. It’s a fireable offense. And it’s the third loss this year that falls directly onto the coaching staff.
One, the Hail Mary disaster in Washington. Two, the blocked field goal against the Packers. Three, today.
Will that be enough to get the Bears to fire Eberflus? His fate seems to be sealed after the season ends. The question is whether they’ll do it as soon as tomorrow.
If they do, the Bears will be making the wrong kind of history — even if it might be the right thing to do.
