Matt Eberflus Confirms A Possible Shakeup Is Coming

When the offense scores only 12 points and your rookie quarterback gets sacked 15 times in two games, something has to change. Even Matt Eberflus seemed to recognize that reality after a dispiriting loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday at Soldier Field. The Chicago Bears head coach tried to maintain some form of continuity to ensure Caleb Williams wasn’t overwhelmed by constant changes. However, nobody could’ve predicted it would get this bad. Nowhere is the fury stronger than at Shane Waldron.

The embattled offensive coordinator has managed only two touchdowns in his last 30 drives dating back to the bye week. That includes 20 straight without one. Williams isn’t playing well. He looks skittish in the pocket and is holding the ball too long. The offensive line is a complete mess, overcome by injuries and a poor protection scheme. Worst of all, the supposed top group of wide receivers hasn’t achieved much of anything for weeks. Eberflus has to recognize his job is very much in jeopardy. He must do something.

Matt Eberflus doesn’t have many viable options.

The likely course of action is to hand the call sheet to passing game coordinator Thomas Brown. He has the most coordinating experience of anybody on the staff. He held the job for three years at the University of Miami and again last season in Carolina. He briefly took over play calls there as well. It didn’t go well. The Panthers failed to crack 300 total yards in any of the three games he called and never once cracked 200 passing. It wasn’t a totally fair situation to get dropped into, but it remains the only recent evidence to go on.

Brown is known for being a little more fiery in temperament and being demanding of his players. Perhaps that is the kind of jolt the Bears offense needs. It certainly can’t hurt. What they’ve been doing with Waldron isn’t working. Matt Eberflus has no choice. Another week of the same setup might finally convince Bears ownership to do something they never have, which is fire a head coach midseason. Somebody has to become the scapegoat. Waldron is the obvious choice.