Matt Eberflus Just Delivered Potential Franchise-Altering Win
Everybody picked the Chicago Bears to lose on Monday night. That wasn’t a surprise. They’d lost three straight. They were on the road against a Bill Belichick-coached team that had delivered back-to-back beatdowns the previous two weeks. Everything pointed to the Bears being their third victim in a row. Matt Eberflus faced the monumental task of preparing his team for a hostile environment and keeping them motivated during a difficult stretch.
What followed might be the biggest signature win a Bears head coach has delivered in a decade. Remember, the Patriots were in the playoffs last year. Belichick is a Hall of Fame coach and rarely loses at home. Eberflus didn’t care. His team was ready and delivered a smackdown in primetime with a 33-14 blowout win. Every phase contributed. Justin Fields led a masterful game-altering touchdown drive after the Patriots scored 14 unanswered to take the lead. Then the running game took over with over 200 yards.
The defense did its part, forcing four turnovers, including three interceptions by Jaquan Brisker, Roquan Smith, and Kyler Gordon.
25 yds to the house ????
????: #CHIvsNE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/00jqMXGw1u
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 25, 2022
Bears get it right back ????
????: #CHIvsNE on ESPN
????: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/2HQeNdaFPc pic.twitter.com/A3RN1jmcJt— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2022
Another takeaway for the defense! ????
????: #CHIvsNE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/mFqiwBDm2B
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 25, 2022
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!
????: #CHIvsNE on ESPN pic.twitter.com/w3HXtNSnzd
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) October 25, 2022
This win by Matt Eberflus can’t be understated.
Name the last time the Bears went on the road against a good team and beat the hell out of them. The fact you have to think hard about it says everything about the magnitude of this moment. Victories like this didn’t happen under Matt Nagy, John Fox, or Marc Trestman. It is a testament to the work Eberflus and his staff have done working with so many young players and developing them into capable contributors.
Fields is the perfect example. He was brutal in the first three weeks. It was easy to lose hope. Matt Eberflus never changed his message. He called it a process. The kid needed to learn. The team would not stop supporting him in every way possible. Then Fields delivered probably his best game as a pro, with over 250 total yards and two touchdowns. That defense is starting to resemble those Lovie Smith units of the 2000s too.
Normally a head coach needs a signature win to show whether or not they can be good at their job. Eberflus delivered his against one of the best ever. That is saying a lot. This night will make believers out of many men in that locker room.