Matt Eberflus had a good plan coming to the Chicago Bears. It was considered a bit corny at the time, but the idea was sound. He wanted a team that hustled, played with intensity, was smart, and focused on taking away the football. As it was called, the H.I.T.S principle helped him produce quality defenses during his entire run with the Indianapolis Colts. People weren’t sure whether that messaging would carry the same weight as a head coach. Eberflus felt it would. After all, it worked for one of his mentors, Hall of Famer Tony Dungy, as well as Rod Marinelli and Lovie Smith.
However, many still had reservations about Eberflus’ ability to apply the same standards to the offensive side of the ball, considering it wasn’t his area of expertise. Unfortunately, those concerns seem to have proven valid. Despite a massive infusion of talent at wide receiver and a new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron, the Bears still rank among the league’s worst units. Much of it comes from a baffling lack of discipline—too many penalties, too many missed blocks, and poor execution.
Eberflus isn’t the first to encounter this reality. Dungy ran into the same problem during his stint as a head coach in Tampa Bay. Players even called him out on it.
Matt Eberflus has no excuses for this continued ineptitude.
The Bears’ defense is once again among the league’s best. Unlike years past, though, it isn’t because of a massive talent gap. They simply play smarter, more efficient football. It feels like they are held to a high standard. Meanwhile, the offense stumbles around every week, never able to find a rhythm or establish an identity. Dungy ran into the same problems. In his six years with the Buccaneers, they never ranked higher than 21st in total offense despite having Pro Bowlers like Mike Alstott, Warrick Dunn, and Keyshawn Johnson in the lineup.
The sign of a good head coach is being able to craft an effective unit on the opposite side of the ball from his expertise. Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick, and Sean McDermott are excellent examples of this. Matt Eberflus falls into the all-too-familiar category of finding success on his side of the ball but never figuring out the other. Dungy had the same issue. Lovie had the same issue. Unless he can start getting those guys on offense to start executing how they should, this reality could cost him his job.
Because, unlike Dungy and Smith, he hasn’t done enough winning to buy time.
