Following the third consecutive loss of the Chicago Bears, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron could potentially be stripped from his position. This was hinted by head coach Matt Eberflus, who vowed to enact changes to the team’s direction after a substantial loss to the New England Patriots, though no specific decisions have been confirmed or announced thus far. Eberflus confirmed the decision concerning Waldron was his to make.
Performance, or rather, the lack thereof, is cited as the reason for the potential disposal of Waldron. The Bears, currently holding a 4-5 standing, are ranked 30th in total offense in the NFL, along with a 24th ranking in scoring. Since their impressive play in the final minute of Week 8, the team has failed to score a touchdown – a total of 23 consecutive possessions.
Waldron began his tenure with the Bears only recently, having replaced Luke Getsy earlier this year. He spent the previous seasons under Pete Carroll in Seattle where he ushered Geno Smith into becoming the AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2022. Despite his track record, Waldron’s current role already underwent questioning from his players after Week 3’s loss, who pleaded for harder coaching. In spite of winning the subsequent three games, the team’s performance has since steadily dwindled.
Particularly of concern has been the performance of the number 1 draft pick, Caleb Williams, whose completion rate has notably dipped during this period. The quarterback has only completed 48 out of 95 passes while enduring nine sacks against New England. This has in spite of a promising start and showing significant progress during the team’s winning streak.
Eberflus, though acknowledging the urgency and necessity of changes, defended the team’s track record of success: “We’ve won some games in a row so there is evidence on tape that we’ve had togetherness, complementary football, played winning football and for you to sit there and say we haven’t done that, that’s not true,” he claimed. “I also understand that we’ve lost three in a row and there’s an urgency there and there’s an adjustment, changes that are necessary in that process because it hasn’t worked the last three weeks, and I’m fully aware of that, too. Again, I’m not just at that point right now in terms of stating those changes because we’re in the middle of that process.”
The next challenge for the Bears is breaking a 10-game losing streak against Green Bay Packers. They have lost 25 of the past 28 games against this opponent, including the NFC championship at the end of the 2010 season. As the team reevaluates its strategies and personnel, the Bears aim to regain their footing in the coming games.
