Bear Digest

No Change at Offensive Coordinator for Bears Says Matt Eberflus

The only thing different about the Bears offense this week could be trying to score early as coach Matt Eberflus says he won't be changing offensive coordinators or play-calling duties.

Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams gets away a side-armed pass in Sunday's 29-9 loss to the Cardinals.
Caleb Williams gets away a side-armed pass in Sunday's 29-9 loss to the Cardinals. / Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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On a day when offensive coordinators and head coaches are being fired in the NFL, there will be no change at offensive coordinator for the Bears

Coach Matt Eberflus has confidence offensive coordinator Shane Waldron can reverse the offensive collapse they've experienced over almost all of the last two games following their rise against three straight struggling teams.

"The changes we're going to make is we're going to look inward and make sure we do a good job of utilizing our talents and our skill and really just general, basic execution of our plan," Eberflus said. "And we have to make sure we're doing that going forward, and we'll put that plan into place here in the next 48 hours."

It didn't go well Sunday, so expecting a turnaround might be asking too much. Caleb Williams experienced his second straight game averaging less than 5.6 yards per pass attempt and with a passer rating of 68.9 he now has a passer rating of 65.4 with 49.2% completions in the last two games, after he had a stretch of four games with a 106.4 passer rating and nine TDs to go with just three interceptions.

Eberflus thinks running it better can be the relief valve for Williams and the passing game.

"We're working on exactly what we need to improve on and that to me starts with the run game on offense and then defense and to me everything falls off of that," Eberflus said. "We have to do a really good job of establishing that and that's where you get your play-action passes and that's where you get your play-action screens and putting yourselves in a good position to execute on third down if you get to that.

"So that's what we’re taking a hard look at today, among other things."

Waldron's offense failed to score a touchdown and had no drives longer than 35 yards. They continued to flounder in first quarters without scoring again, although their initial drive was promising before being bogged down by penalties. They still have 10 first-quarter points.

The calls for coaching staff members' jobs are raining down on social media and talk shows. They have been since the first half ended on Sunday with the Bears down 21-9. Then they went scoreless in the second half.

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"Whenever you lose two in a row in the NFL, there's always a heightened sense of urgency because you have to get that win column back," Eberflus said. "That was no different than early in the year when we lost a couple in a row. It's really the same."

The sense of urgency is greater now as the Bears are one game from exhausting their supply of supposed "cupcake" opposition. They host New England and need a win badly just to relieve pressure at Halas Hall.

"We have to find answers and find solutions to where we are right now," Eberflus said. "We move in the right direction for three weeks, and then the last couple, we have to make sure we find answers right now moving into this week.

"We don't have a lot of time. We have less than 48 hours before we practice. We have to do a good job. Before the players get back in the building, we have to do a good job of finding those answers."

The fact the Bears return home should at least stir some optimism for the offense.

Williams has a 105.1 passer rating at home but only 67.2 on the road.

The inability to put together scoring marches in the first quarter is weighing on the offense.

"We need to get ready to play and ready to score points from Drive 1, from Play 1, and I think we have gotten ourselves into some negative plays, scenarios in those instances, and had flashes of great success on the first drive, too," wide receiver Rome Odunze said. "So we need to sustain that all the way into the end zone, so you know we can start fast. Set the tempo for the game."

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.