Will Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus be up for the challenge in Week 13?

I am officially worried about the Chicago Bears’ defense.

In this week’s hit with 670 The Score, Bears linebacker TJ Edwards explained how the defense is not playing to the standard it has set for itself. Edwards’ words have heightened my concerns:

“Giving up some big plays in crucial moments and that’s on all of us, that’s everybody — we’ve just got to execute a little bit better down the stretch,” Edwards said. “I feel with the last couple of games, we’re not playing to our standard and we know that. We’ve got to find a way to get it done.”

IN his interview on 670 The Score, Bears Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson shared similar sentiments about fighting to get it all together. And over at The Athletic, Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus says there is no magic pill that will fix what ails Chicago’s defense. It all sounds like what you would hear from people searching for answers but clueless when it comes to where to find them. Taken in isolation, all of this is troubling. But when you remember how tight-lipped this Bears defense was in the summer and how it rocked in the early part of the season, it has alarm bells going off in my head.

I can’t shake the feeling that the Chicago Bears defense has lost its mojo. And while I’m not sure how to recapture the magic, I do know who will be responsible for finding solutions to the issues facing Chicago’s defense heading into its Thanksgiving game against the Detroit Lions.

Week 13 will test Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus

Sure, the Week 13 game against the Detroit Lions will be a big test for Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. But the rookie was up to the task against a Green Bay Packers defense coming off a bye and a Minnesota defense coached by Brian Flores that is often stingy with young quarterbacks. And yes, new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown will be put to the test as well. This could be a resume-building game for an assistant coach who is on an NFL insider’s head coaching watch list. But this will also be a benchmark moment for Bears Head Coach Matt Eberflus.

BEARS-LIONS WEEK 13 PREVIEW: Could this be the end for head coach Matt Eberflus?

Eberflus arrived in Chicago with the success he had as defensive coordinator with the Indianapolis Colts. And while his defense was good in 2023 and the first part of the 2024 season, things have slipped in recent weeks. Don’t get me wrong. I understand the defense is missing defensive tackle Andrew Billings and safety Jaquan Brisker. But the loss of these two players cannot be the main culprit behind the defense’s recent demise.

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You can point to the Hail Mary fiasco against the Washington Commanders in Week 8, coughing up 29 points a week later against the Arizona Cardinals, getting crushed in big moments by the Green Bay Packers and allowing 30 points to the Minnesota Vikings as examples of Eberflus’ defense losing its edge. Things won’t get any easier with a Thanksgiving showdown against the Lions, but Matt Eberflus needs to get it together if he wants to have a chance to avoid a sixth straight loss. If the defense can’t cut it, the calls to replace the head coach during the mini-bye could become deafening.

For what it’s worth, Eberflus’ defense did well enough to limit the high-powered Lions offense last year. Chicago and Detroit split the 2023 season series, but the Bears blew a game they had nothing to lose on the road. Matt Eberflus could right the wrong of last year’s road loss with a strong performance as a defensive play-caller in Week 13. But this could be a statement game for Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who could elevate his coaching staff against a team that who could consider him for its opening if things fall apart. The chess game between Eberflus and Johnson begins around 11:30 a.m. CT Thursday. Are you ready for it?