LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Chicago Bears parted ways with head coach Matt Eberflus on Friday following a disappointing last-minute finish in their 23-20 defeat against the Detroit Lions. This change, however, is unlikely to alter the team’s primary objective for the season: the development of quarterback Caleb Williams. Currently standing at 4-8, the Bears have placed significant emphasis on enhancing Williams’ skills. Eberflus, who accumulated a 14-32 record during his tenure, is no longer a focal point for Williams as the team shifts leadership responsibilities.
Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, who has played a crucial role in Williams’ progression, has been named the interim head coach while also retaining his play-calling duties. Brown, whose dynamic coaching style contrasts with Eberflus’ more subdued approach, has already shown his intensity since taking over offensive coordinator responsibilities after Shane Waldron’s dismissal. “I’m a pretty direct person,” Brown commented recently about his coaching philosophy in Chicago.
Although Brown has yet to hold a head coaching position, his energetic coaching demeanor was evident immediately after he was elevated to coordinator. He aims to instill that same high-energy approach across the entire team, similar to how he has guided Williams. “I think that can come off in different ways to different people, but he (Williams) is not soft, which I appreciate,” Brown noted, highlighting his preference for players with strong mental fortitude.
Since Brown assumed the offensive coordinator role, Williams has demonstrated improvement, completing 75 out of 117 passes for 827 yards, five touchdowns, and maintaining an impressive passer rating of 99.2. In contrast, before Brown’s hiring, Williams posted a passer rating of just 81.0, having thrown nine touchdowns alongside five interceptions. Notably, his recent performance against competitive NFC North teams has showcased his growing prowess.
Despite the evident improvements in the passing game, Brown still needs to address the consistency of finishes. The Bears have suffered three close losses to NFC North rivals, which could have shifted their recent fortunes. “We’ve been in many of these games where we were down and, you know, came back from 16, 10, you know, all these different scores,” Williams remarked. The challenge for Brown now is to ensure that his players can close games more effectively than under Eberflus.
The Bears’ passing attack has improved recently, as seen during the latter half of their game against Detroit, where they scored three touchdown passes despite Williams taking five more sacks this season, leading the NFL with 49. He set a new NFL rookie record for the most consecutive passes thrown without an interception, surpassing Kyler Murray’s previous record of 211 by achieving 232 consecutive passes without a pick. Furthermore, through two weeks under Brown’s guidance, Williams has amassed 14 touchdown passes, setting a new rookie record for the Bears.
However, challenges remain, particularly in their run defense. Detroit managed to rush for 144 of their 197 total yards in the first half, which allowed them to build a substantial early lead. The Bears struggled to contain the run all season, exacerbated by the loss of defensive tackle Andrew Billings due to a torn pectoral muscle earlier this season. Heading into this weekend’s games, they rank 30th in yards permitted per rush.
As players to watch, veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen has made a notable impact, logging five receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Under Brown’s play calling, he has tallied 200 yards on 18 catches. Conversely, running back D’Andre Swift had a disappointing outing, rushing for only 39 yards on 11 carries, which lowered his average yards per attempt below the season average of 4.0.
In terms of injuries, the Bears faced setbacks as right tackle Darnell Wright exited the game with a knee injury, while Roschon Johnson is suspected to have suffered a concussion. Additionally, Williams incurred a bruise to his left knee but was able to continue playing after a hit from Detroit linebacker Jack Campbell.
A key fact to note is that Eberflus’ squads won just three road games, with this season seeing none of those victories. The last road win for the Bears took place on November 27, 2023, against the Minnesota Vikings.
Looking ahead, both Brown and defensive coordinator Eric Washington will enjoy over a week to refine their strategies before their next game against San Francisco on December 8.