Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus appeared to blame quarterback Caleb Williams for how the dying moments of the team’s loss to Detroit Lions unfolded, despite refusing to call a timeout that could have saved the game.
The Bears had the ball in Lions territory late in the game with a chance to drive for a game-tying field goal or go-ahead touchdown, but they blew the opportunity before losing 23-20 – their sixth straight loss.
Caleb Williams threw an incomplete pass as time expired from the Detroit 41 after being sacked with about 30 seconds left, with the team allowing time to run off the clock even though Chicago had one more timeout.
The Bears were scrambling to organize their formation after Williams was sacked, despite Eberflus having a chance to stop the clock.
‘We take the sack right there and so we are at 36 seconds right there,’ Eberflus said. ‘And our hope was that because it was third going into forth that we rack that play at 18 seconds, throw it in bounds and get into field goal range and call the time out.
‘That was our decision making process on that. We were outside of field goal range so we needed to get a few more yards in there, as close as we can get, and then we were going to call time out.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has revealed why he didn’t call a timeout in the Lions loss
Eberflus appeared to softly criticize quarterback Caleb Williams for the loss to Detroit
‘That’s why we held that last time out at the end of the game. Like I said, disappointing for the players who put a lot of work in a short week and put themselves in position to win that game.
‘I like what we did there. Again, once it’s under seven (seconds), you’re going to call a timeout there – actually under 12 and then really you don’t have an option because it’s third to fourth, you have to throw it into the end zone then.
‘To me it’s – I think we handled it the right way, I do believe that you just re-rack the play, get it in bounds and call timeout and that’s why we held it and didn’t work out the way we wanted it to.’
The loss heaps pressure on Eberflus, with the Bears last in NFC North on a record of 4-8 for the season after the Thanksgiving result. Rookie quarterback Williams, meanwhile, completed 20 of 39 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.
Williams, for his part, said: ‘I’m on the field, I got a call, I know I took a timeout earlier in the same drive so, I can take timeouts but in that situation I got a call, was trying to get everybody back and get lined up.
‘I don’t have a microphone to coach or anything like that. There wasn’t any huge communication. In that situation, you get a call and with that time you’ve got to try and get the guys back and get everybody lined up.’
Asked if he was surprised there wasn’t a timeout called by Eberflus, Williams said: ‘Surprised? I’m not going to say “surprised”. My job is to go out there and make players, get everybody lined up, go out and win games. We didn’t do that today.’
Keenan Allen, who scored two touchdowns for the Bears, made a pointed comment after the game when he told reporters: ‘I feel like we did enough as players to win the game.’
Eberflus is under intensifying pressure with the Bears now losing six straight games
Allen’s teammate DJ Moore added: ‘I don’t know why we didn’t call a timeout.’
In the aftermath of the game, analysts all laid the blame with Eberflus.
‘Man I feel for you Bears fans. That was just brutal. Literal coaching malpractice,’ J.J. Watt said on X. ‘What in the absolute world was that? The end of game management by them multiple times this year is absolutely BAFFLING.;
Stephen A. Smith blamed Eberflus too, saying: ‘No timeout. Not spiking if the ball. You get off just one play in the final 26 seconds.
‘Is there any more proof needed for the Chicago Bears and their fans everywhere that a new coach is needed? That it’s time for a change?’
Former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan said on CBS: ‘This is unacceptable from the head coach position.
‘Your responsibility is to not panic in critical situations. To put your team in the best opportunity to win games. That’s a massive, massive fail by Matt Eberflus.’
