Bears’ Matt Eberflus Botches Clock Management In Maddening 23

Matt Eberflus’s clock management decisions have been a major source of frustration for Chicago Bears fans this season. In Sunday’s 29-22 loss to the New York Jets, Eberflus made several questionable calls that cost the Bears valuable time and ultimately contributed to the team’s defeat.

Time for a Timekeeper

One of the most egregious examples of Eberflus’s poor clock management came late in the first half. With the Bears trailing 10-3 and just over two minutes remaining, Eberflus called a timeout with 1:56 on the clock. The Bears then ran three plays, but were unable to gain a first down and were forced to punt.

Had Eberflus not called the timeout, the Bears would have had an additional 36 seconds to work with. This would have given Justin Fields more time to lead a scoring drive and potentially tie the game going into halftime.

Hail Mary’s Not Working

Another questionable decision by Eberflus came in the final minutes of the game. Trailing 29-22 with just over a minute remaining, Eberflus called two consecutive timeouts. The Bears then attempted a Hail Mary pass on fourth down, but the pass was incomplete and the Jets secured the victory.

Many analysts believe that Eberflus should have called a timeout earlier in the drive to give Justin Fields more time to work with. By calling the timeouts so late, Eberflus essentially took the ball out of Fields’ hands and gave the Jets a free play on the Hail Mary attempt.

Eberflus Defends Himself

After the game, Eberflus defended his clock management decisions, saying that he was trying to “put the team in the best position to win.” However, many fans and analysts believe that Eberflus’s decisions were misguided and ultimately cost the Bears the game.

The Bears have now lost five of their last six games and are in danger of missing the playoffs. Eberflus’s clock management decisions have been a major factor in the team’s struggles, and he will need to improve in this area if the Bears are going to have any chance of turning their season around.