Amid swirling speculation about potential changes to jumpstart the Bears’ sputtering offense, head coach Matt Eberflus put the rumors to rest Monday, confirming that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron will retain play calling duties despite the team’s recent struggles. Chicago has failed to find the end zone in consecutive double-digit losses to Washington and Arizona, sparking questions about Waldron’s job security and the development of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Bears mustered a meager 241 yards of total offense in Sunday’s 29-9 defeat to the Cardinals, settling for three Cairo Santos field goals as their only points on the day. Chicago converted just 3 of 14 third down attempts and averaged a paltry 3.4 yards per play, leading many to wonder if a shakeup was imminent.
Eberflus Backs Waldron, Preaches Execution
Rather than pointing fingers or making a scapegoat of his offensive coordinator, Eberflus emphasized the need for the Bears to look inward and focus on the fundamentals. “The changes we’re going to make is we’re going to look inward and make sure we do a good job of utilizing our talents and our skill and really just general, basic execution of our plan,” the second-year head coach explained.
We have to make sure we’re doing that going forward, and we’ll put that plan into place here in the next 48 hours.
Matt Eberflus on the Bears’ offensive adjustments
When pressed about his confidence level in Waldron, who joined the Bears in January after three seasons as the Seahawks’ play caller, Eberflus didn’t hesitate. “Our confidence is high,” he stated, while acknowledging the team’s uneven 4-4 start to the campaign. “We’ve won some and we’ve lost some. Right now that’s where we are and it’s important that we focus on this week.”
Williams’ Development Under Scrutiny
Much of the concern surrounding the Bears offense centers around the progress, or lack thereof, from rookie signal caller Caleb Williams. The No. 1 overall pick completed 22 of 41 passes for 217 yards against the Cardinals, finishing without a touchdown or turnover for a pedestrian 68.9 passer rating. Growing pains are to be expected with a rookie quarterback at the helm, but Bears fans are understandably anxious to see more signs of growth from their prized prospect.
Compounding matters is the inconsistent involvement of the Bears’ top skill position players in the aerial attack. Rookie sensation Rome Odunze paced the team with 104 receiving yards on five catches vs. Arizona, while veterans Keenan Allen and DJ Moore combined for just eight receptions on 19 targets. Perhaps most puzzling was the goose egg in the target column for tight end Cole Kmet, who is tied for the team lead with three touchdown catches on the season.
Bears Betting on Continuity and Adjustments
For now, the Bears are banking on continuity and subtle tweaks over wholesale changes to cure what ails their offense. Eberflus shouldered ultimate responsibility for putting the team in a position to succeed, while expressing faith in Waldron and the rest of the offensive staff to devise and implement solutions.
It’s important that we do a great job of that with the position coaches, partnering up with players and putting those guys in position to succeed.
Matt Eberflus on the collaborative effort needed to turn the offense around
The Bears do have an accomplished alternative option on staff in passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, who has called plays at the NFL and college levels. For the time being, however, Chicago is committed to Waldron and hopeful that increased focus and execution will translate to improved offensive output. With a .500 record and their playoff aspirations still very much intact, the Bears are betting that a steadier hand is the prudent path forward.
