LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Quarterback Caleb Williams is determined to help the Chicago Bears’ offense return to its prior form following a heartbreaking loss last week to the Washington Commanders, which concluded with a Hail Mary pass.

Before they can reclaim their former productivity, however, the Bears and head coach Matt Eberflus must resolve some internal issues.

In the aftermath of the 18-15 defeat, several players expressed their concerns with the coaching staff’s decisions and spent Wednesday discussing how they could maintain focus ahead of their upcoming encounter against the Arizona Cardinals.

“We’re in a league where honesty is crucial,” linebacker Tremaine Edmunds stated. “You need to be able to look yourself in the mirror. Yet, we are growing closer as a unit, working through this together because that’s what it’s going to take to move forward.”

However, before progressing, there seemed to be accountability concerns that needed addressing.

Wide receiver DJ Moore expressed doubts about a specific play call that involved center Doug Kramer during the fourth quarter at the goal line, which he discussed on a local radio program.

“Flus and I had a conversation about it with the team leaders,” Moore said. “Next time, we need to keep those discussions behind closed doors.”

“I’m not necessarily apologizing for my comments, but I recognize the need for confidentiality.”

Similarly, cornerback Jaylon Johnson questioned the decision not to call a timeout before the crucial Hail Mary pass, a point Eberflus acknowledged when pressed about it.

“My thought was that if it were a crucial moment, we’d likely take a timeout to ensure the play is correctly set up,” Johnson remarked. “You want to strategize properly and prepare your team for success.”

He added that although leadership discussions and meetings with coaches are beneficial, they can only achieve so much.

“We’ve discussed the importance of improving our execution. Still, moments like these reveal certain underlying issues that we’ve reiterated but have yet to resolve,” Johnson noted.

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson, who was engaging with fans during the Hail Mary pass, missed his assignment, allowing Noah Brown to catch the ball in the end zone. This lapse occurred after he unintentionally redirected the pass away from the intended target.

Eberflus refrained from commenting on whether any disciplinary actions would be taken against Stevenson or if he might lose his starting position.

“I appreciate your inquiry, but our accountability lies within our team, and we focus on the core group we have in the building,” Eberflus stated.

The Bears face larger challenges beyond a single play as Williams and the offense continue to face difficulties in starting games effectively. With only ten points scored in the first quarter of games, the unit has made mistakes, including a significant sack that pushed them out of field-goal territory.

“If we keep scoring points and executing our roles, I believe we can win many games, especially with our defense,” Williams mentioned.

Recognizing that the season still has many games remaining, the team remains hopeful.

“This gives us time to bounce back, even considering the difficult loss we just faced,” Moore concluded. “We’re still not below .500, and the world isn’t ending. We must focus on the next opponent, the Cardinals, and aim to secure that win.”