The loss in Cleveland on Sunday was a frustrating one for head coach Matt Eberflus. While he gets plenty of the blame for another 4th quarter collapse, the truth is it wouldn’t have gone down like that if his offense had managed to do anything. His defense was outstanding most of the afternoon, producing three interceptions and stopping the Browns offense constantly. Yet the offense mustered only 10 points the entire game, and seven of those came from the defense handing them the ball in a goal-to-go situation.
Eberflus isn’t known for showing much outward emotion during press conferences, but it wasn’t hard to feel some bubbling to the surface during his press conference on Wednesday. He was asked about the offensive execution at the end of the first half when Fields had a chance to put the team in field goal range with 59 seconds left. Things started well, but the drive slowed after passing midfield. Fields had a chance to hit Darnell Mooney to set up Cairo Santos on 3rd and 4, but the throw sailed.
This forced Fields to try a Hail Mary to end the half instead, which was intercepted. Eberflus clearly wasn’t happy about it.
“We’ve just got to make that connection. And if we make that connection right there, we’re going to be right where we need to be…
…There was a defender that jumped up in the air that made Justin kind of clutch it down a little bit. And then the throw right there, he side-armed it. We’ve just got to make that play at that point.”
While Fields is a terrific athlete and known for producing eye-popping plays, his inability to execute with precision is a constant problem. That is never clearer than during late-half or late-game situations. In 2023, Fields has thrown 26 passes in situations where there are four minutes or less to go in a half. He is 11-of 26 for 152 yards, zero touchdowns, and four interceptions. In other words, he’s terrible. It was more of the same in the 4th quarter against Cleveland. He had the ball with 32 seconds left. A 30-yard completion got them to the Browns’ 45. All he needed was 15 more yards to give Santos a reason shot at forcing overtime.
Each of his subsequent two passes fell incomplete. That forced another Hail Mary attempt, which was again intercepted.
Those two drives summed up Fields as a quarterback. He can make one or two impressive throws, but his lack of consistency will almost always kill the Bears in money situations. Matt Eberflus knew how important points were against a great defensive opponent like Cleveland—wasting a golden opportunity for three before the half was big. It wasn’t the first time it had happened with Fields. Now, as Eberflus’ job security gets shakier by the week, frustration is boiling over.
