The Chicago Bears suffered another heartbreaking loss, this time in dramatic fashion on Thanksgiving. With 34 seconds left, one timeout remaining, and facing third down, they were just a few yards away from field goal range. However, instead of managing the clock effectively, they let it run down to about 8 seconds before snapping the ball. The ensuing pass fell incomplete, and the game ended on that play.
Fans, analysts, and media have widely criticized this as one of the worst examples of poor coaching in recent memory. In his postgame press conference, head coach Matt Eberflus wasn’t even asked about the final sequence yet, but he opened with a statement addressing it. Many believe he deflected responsibility and unfairly placed blame on quarterback Caleb Williams. You can watch the press conference below and decide for yourself.
Matt Eberflus explains why he didn't use the final timeout at the end of the game. pic.twitter.com/HlWuFt9uQe
— Dave (@dave_bfr) November 28, 2024
One of the most striking stats from this game involves Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. Out of 221 coaches who have coached 20 or more games decided by 7 points or fewer, Eberflus ranks dead last. His win percentage in those games is just .227 (5-17). At some point, Eberflus needs to acknowledge that he’s the common denominator in the Bears consistently losing close games.
While this trend has been particularly noticeable this season with Caleb Williams at quarterback, the same issues were evident during the Justin Fields era, often due to Eberflus’s questionable late-game decisions.
Could the Bears make history by firing their head coach midseason for the first time? It’s unlikely, but it’s hard to see how GM Ryan Poles and the Bears’ leadership can continue to tolerate such repeated failures in critical moments. Keenan Allen summed it up perfectly after the game, saying, “I feel like we did enough as players to win.” He’s absolutely right.
Keenan Allen with perhaps the most damning quote on Matt Eberflus:
"I feel like we did enough as players to win the game.”
— Dave (@dave_bfr) November 28, 2024
The blame for this loss falls squarely on the head coach for failing to support his rookie quarterback in the game’s most crucial moment.
