NFL World Aghast at How Bears, Matt Eberflus Handled End of Last-Second Loss to Lions

To say Chicago blew it is an understatement.
Chicago Bears head coach head coach Matt Eberflus.
Chicago Bears head coach head coach Matt Eberflus. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Both of the following two sentences are true.

The Chicago Bears had first-and-10 on the Detroit Lions' 25-yard line with 46 seconds to go Thursday, trailing 23–20. The Bears, with a timeout in their back pocket, lost the game in regulation without attempting a field goal or turning the ball over.

How does that happen? After Caleb Williams was sacked with 36 seconds left leaving Chicago with third-and-26, Bears coach Matt Eberflus simply declined to call a timeout. That cost the Bears 30 seconds and forced Williams into a harried final throw with six seconds on the clock. Pass incomplete, game over.

The final sequence stunned the NFL world, who reacted in a variety of different ways—none of them Chicago-friendly.

Calls for Eberflus's job abounded.

Williams took considerable flak for his inaction as well.

The events underscored a season of embarrassing losses for the Bears.

Chicago found itself memed into oblivion.

CBS analyst J.J. Watt was among many big names to express sympathy for Bears fans.

It feels like the clock is ticking on the current Chicago regime.


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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .