Bears Coach Prefers Practice to Preseason

Matt Eberflus calls the two controlled practices sufficient for Justin Fields for this week and possibly until the regular season.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus admits it didn't necessarily go over well with quarterback Justin Fields.

Sitting out the next preseason game is still the decision the Bears staff made for Fields and selected starters.

"He's not playing and the selected starters that we have are not playing in the game because of the work that we've done here," Eberflus said. "We decided that last night. That's what we're going with."

By the work they've done there, he meant two days of sometimes overly physical practice with the Indianapolis Colts. More shoving and fighting occurred briefly Thursday and that didn't sit well with Eberflus, who promised to punish the perpetrators and participants.

However, between all of that the practice was valuable enough to convince coaches Fields and some starters don't need to participate Saturday in the second preseason game.

"It's invaluable," Eberflus said. "(Colts coach) Shane (Steichen) and I were talking about it the other day," Eberflus said. "It's really like playing two preseason games with your guys in a safe environment.

"So it's really that. ... You think about it, that's two extra preseason games. If they let me do it again I'd do it again next week. I really like it."

It's not necessarily the way Eberflus thinks they'll approach future preseasons. The issue now is whether they'll have starters going in the third and final preseason game at home Aug. 26 against Buffalo.

"The joint practices, that's not something that we'll always do," Eberflus said. "I can't say that. But it's something that we're doing this year.

"And that's what we thought was best for our football team at this time, and then we will discuss the third game going forward. You know, we've got a bunch of good practices next week against each other heading into that Buffalo week and we'll decide at the latter part of (next) week what's going to happen."

So Eberflus let Fields know the decision and the reaction was what you'd expect.

"He wants to compete every single down, every single play he can. But again we're going to do what's best for the football team."

“He always wants to play," Eberflus said. "I mean, he's a football player, he's a competitor. He's an elite competitor.

"He wants to compete every single down, every single play he can. But again we're going to do what's best for the football team."

After seeing Fields practice against the Colts for two days, Eberflus thinks he's positioned well to be ready for the Sept. 10 regular-opener against Green Bay at Soldier Field.

“I think he’s right on pace," Eberflus said. "He was 8-for-8 and had four touchdowns in 7-on-7 (Thursday). That was excellent.

"Rhythm, timing, he's getting better there. Sometimes it's a protection breakdown. It's always everybody. It's the other 10 guys that need to operate. Are we running the routes correctly? Are we protecting him the right way, giving him time? And doing those types of things it takes to have an efficient passing game."

Fields saw his share of live fire during practice, anyway.

Cornerback Kenny Moore, a favorite of Eberflus' while he coached the Colts defense from 2018-21, blitzed Fields and knocked the ball out of his hand on a pass play. This isn't allowed in practices.

Eberflus had a few words for his former player after the play.

"I know Kenny and I love Kenny, and he's a great player and a great man," Eberflus said. "He came off the edge. We had our protection break down, and at the very last moment our tackle pushed him. I told Kenny after the play, 'You're athletic enough to move out of that way' and veer from that, and he agreed.

"We just need to do a good job of staying away from both (teams') quarterbacks and keeping them safe."

His own quarterback will be safely put away Saturday, and possibly until the regular season.

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