The Underlying Causes of the Chicago Bears' Struggles in 2023.
There are underlying factors that have plagued the Chicago Bears' performance in 2023. Firstly, Matt Eberflus's defensive conservatism seems to have bled into their offensive strategy this year. The results have been less than stellar. Luke Getsy's one-dimensional offensive approach seems out of sync with Justin Fields' capabilities.
A glimpse of Eberflus's potential influence on the offense is evident from an off-season interview where Fields mentioned Getsy asking about his preferred pass plays. This doesn't reflect a coordinator planning to sideline his QB's strengths.
Matt Eberflus may not align with the Chicago Bears' vision. While it's essential to challenge Fields by letting him hone different aspects of his game, entirely sidelining his strengths isn't the way to mold him into a top-tier quarterback.
Their performance against the Packers in Week 1 exemplified Eberflus's overly cautious approach in high-pressure games. This can be aptly summarized by Shakespeare's line: «A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once." Eberflus's and possibly Ryan Pole's future with the Bears seem uncertain given their current trajectory.
Ownership also plays a role in the Bears' challenges. The McCaskey family's history of questionable decisions stands out, like bypassing Bruce Arians for Mark Trestman due to differences in defensive coordinator preferences.
Delving deeper, the McCaskeys' decisions stem from their lack of confidence, possibly rooted in the legacy of George Halas. His disapproval of his daughter Virginia's marriage to Ed McCaskey and the untimely demise of his son, Mugsy, might have left the succeeding generations unprepared for NFL management.
If one were to counsel the McCaskeys, they'd be urged to introspect, analyze past mistakes, and use that analysis for future hires, rather than relying heavily on external advisors. Bringing in Kevin Warren as the president and CEO could also steer them away from repetitive hiring errors.
The intricate process of hiring Ryan Poles, heavily influenced by Bill Polian, raises eyebrows. The fact that Poles, Eberflus, and Getsy share the same agent, combined with Polian's preference for Eberflus, suggests that decisions may not have been entirely merit-based.
Polian's affinity for the Cover 2 defense, proven by his Super Bowl victory with Tony Dungy at the Colts, could have skewed the Bears' hiring choices. However, the missing ingredient in the Bears compared to the Colts of yesteryears is a Hall of Fame-worthy QB like Peyton Manning and a seasoned offensive coordinator akin to Jim Caldwell.
While Eberflus has introduced commendable H.I.T.S. principles to the team, the bigger picture suggests that strategic misalignments and legacy challenges might be hindering the Bears' success in 2023.
| POLL | ||
23 SEPTEMBRE | 37 ANSWERS The Underlying Causes of the Chicago Bears' Struggles in 2023. Will the Bears fire Eberflus before the end of the season? | ||
| Yes | 17 | 45.9 % |
| No | 20 | 54.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
