The Chicago Bears squandered a golden opportunity to at least force overtime against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, thanks to a series of dreadful clock management errors and poor execution. The Bears, trailing 23-20 in the fourth quarter at Ford Field, found themselves in a promising position to tie the game.
With just 46 seconds remaining, a pass interference penalty on Lions defensive back Kindle Vildor set the Bears up at the Detroit 25-yard line. The Bears still had two timeouts, and it seemed like they were well-positioned to push for a game-tying field goal, if not a touchdown.
What followed, however, was one of the most chaotic and disastrous sequences seen in the NFL this season. After an incompletion on first down, confusion at the line led the Bears to burn their second timeout, leaving them with 43 seconds to play and just one timeout.
Despite this setback, they were still in reasonable field position at the Lions’ 25-yard line. On the next play, however, things began to unravel further as an illegal hands-to-the-face penalty pushed them back 10 yards, setting up a daunting 2nd and 20.
With the ball now at the Detroit 35, quarterback Caleb Williams took a sack, leaving the Bears facing an unenviable 3rd and 26 from the Lions’ 41-yard line. This is where the sequence descended into utter chaos. The Bears appeared completely disorganized as they attempted to line up for the next play.
Williams did not manage to get the offense to the line of scrimmage until there were roughly 10 seconds remaining. Instead of quickly snapping the ball, he inexplicably waited, finally getting the snap off with just six seconds left.
With no time to spare, Williams opted for a desperate deep throw to Rome Odunze, which fell incomplete as time expired. To make matters worse, the Bears still had a timeout remaining that they never used.
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The blame for this disastrous sequence fell largely on head coach Matt Eberflus, whose mismanagement of the clock was evident throughout the final moments. The Bears seemed hesitant to use their remaining timeout, possibly out of fear of being left with just one shot to get back in field goal range.
However, after Williams took the sack, it became clear that a timeout was necessary to regroup and set up a sideline play to gain some yardage for a field goal attempt. Instead, Eberflus allowed precious seconds to tick away while Williams struggled to get the offense organized, resulting in a wasted opportunity to salvage the drive.
The only other explanation—that Eberflus simply forgot he had a timeout—would be an even more damning indictment of his game management skills.
The aftermath of the blunder saw the Bears head coach come under intense scrutiny. CBS’ “NFL Today” crew was particularly harsh in their assessment of Eberflus’ handling of the situation.
Former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan called Eberflus’ decision-making “unacceptable,” while Nate Burleson bluntly stated that such mistakes are the kind that lead to coaches getting fired.
It was a scathing indictment, but one that many Bears fans likely agreed with after witnessing such an avoidable disaster.
The Bears’ final drive was riddled with mistakes, including two costly penalties that put them in a deeper hole even before the clock management issues. Throughout the season, Chicago has found some painful ways to lose, but this one was particularly egregious, as it seemed to come down entirely to incompetence on the sidelines.
Matt Eberflus’ record as the Bears’ head coach now stands at 14-32 in his two-plus seasons, and this is far from the first time his in-game decision-making has been called into question.
With each passing week, it becomes harder to envision Eberflus keeping his job after moments like these, where his lack of situational awareness directly costs the team a chance to compete.
For Bears fans, it was yet another brutal chapter in a season filled with frustration, and for Eberflus, it may be the mistake that ultimately seals his fate.
