A day after the Chicago Bears’ heartbreaking loss to the Green Bay Packers, coach Matt Eberflus stood by his controversial decision to let the clock wind down instead of calling for one more play before their final field goal attempt. Despite the mounting pressure, Eberflus insisted that, given the circumstances, he would make the same choice again. The Bears had a chance to break their losing streak in a game that ended in another painful defeat, their fourth in a row. The Packers secured a 20-19 victory when they blocked Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
Eberflus reflected on the situation during a Monday interview, acknowledging that while he would have preferred a closer field goal attempt, the scenario was what it was. He pointed out that there were many variables to consider, but ultimately, he believed his decision was the right one. The Bears had been leading 19-14 until Green Bay’s Jordan Love scored a 1-yard touchdown, giving the Packers a one-point lead with 2:59 remaining in the game.
The Bears’ drive to reclaim the lead seemed doomed after Caleb Williams was sacked twice, leaving them with a third-and-19 situation at their own 21-yard line. But Williams showed resilience, completing two crucial passes to Rome Odunze that moved the Bears into Packers territory. A 12-yard catch by Keenan Allen brought them to the Green Bay 30-yard line with 35 seconds left, and after a 2-yard rush by Roschon Johnson, they had an opportunity to shorten the field goal attempt with one more play. However, Eberflus chose to let the clock run, calling a timeout with just three seconds remaining.
As the Bears lined up for the kick, Packers’ defender Karl Brooks broke through the offensive line and blocked Santos’ attempt, sealing the Bears’ loss and their fourth consecutive defeat. Eberflus defended his decision, explaining that the risks of running another play—such as penalties or mistakes—outweighed the benefits of a potentially shorter field goal.
The Bears’ season continues to spiral, as they sit at the bottom of the NFC North, far from their original playoff aspirations. The loss to the Packers left them reflecting on what went wrong during the game. Safety Kevin Byard emphasized that while mistakes were made, the team remains united and committed to improving. “We don’t come in this building to lose,” Byard said, stressing the importance of staying together despite the team’s struggles.
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