Thursday night was a big one for the Chicago Bears. They faced the Carolina Panthers. Most agreed they were arguably the worst team in the NFL. A win would ensure they slip to 1-8 on the year and tie for the worst record in the league, ensuring the Bears have a grip on the #1 overall pick in the 2024 draft. However, the narratives didn’t stop there. It was also an opportunity for head coach Matt Eberflus to put himself back on stable ground. A convincing victory might ease the calls from many people about his job security.
Well, it didn’t happen.
The Bears played like the 2-7 team they were. Offensively, they struggled in the passing game as rookie Tyson Bagent looked like a quarterback who’d been expressly told (probably by Eberflus) to stop taking risks. This was despite Carolina not having their best player, pass rusher Brian Burns. Chicago eeked out 16 points against a defense that ranked 31st in points allowed this season.
Meanwhile, his defense played well. Then again, that was expected. They allowed only six points. However, problems still persisted. They allowed three conversions on 4th down, committed four penalties, and dropped three interceptions. Even when Ebeflus’ bread and butter plays well, things still seem to go wrong. It explains why his postgame locker room speech saw him looking not entirely thrilled.
The rest of the Bears’ 2024 schedule isn’t nearly as accommodating as the Panthers were. They must visit the division-leading Detroit Lions next week and then head to Minnesota for a rematch with a team that already beat them this year. After the bye week, it’s a rematch with Detroit before a visit to Cleveland and that vicious Browns defense. There will be a brief respite (maybe) against Arizona, then the final two games against Atlanta and Green Bay. If the Bears play like they did Thursday night in these upcoming contests, it won’t be pretty.
GM Ryan Poles has remained steadfast in his belief in Matt Eberflus. That isn’t surprising. However, the head coach can’t expect to keep his job unless he finds a few more victories down the stretch. Under normal conditions, that schedule should be more than accommodating. However, after watching the Bears’ uninspiring performance in prime time, it’s hard to imagine they can achieve such a thing. That is why Eberflus looks subdued. He knows how razor-thin the line he’s walking right now is.
