Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus spoke with reporters Monday afternoon after reviewing the 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Eberflus now is tasked with helping his team move on from its fourth straight loss and prepare for another tough meeting with the Minnesota Vikings (8-2) in Week 12.
Here are four things we learned from Eberflus and Bears players Braxton Jones and Kevin Byard.
1. Matt Eberflus again said he felt good about having Cairo Santos attempt a 46-yard field goal rather than trying to get closer.
The Bears’ final play before Santos’ potential winning field goal was a 2-yard Roschon Johnson run on first down to get to the Packers 28-yard line. The Bears had about 30 seconds left to run another play and try to make it a shorter attempt for Santos.
Eberflus, however, opted to wind the clock down to three seconds before calling a timeout and turning to Santos. Defensive lineman Karl Brooks blocked the field goal, and the Packers escaped with the win.
Eberflus on Monday reiterated his stance that he was confident in asking Santos to make the field goal from 46 yards. He pointed Sunday to the risk of a fumble if the Bears ran another play, and he noted Monday that a false start, holding penalty or tipped pass were other risks.
“He was well inside the line for his comfortability there,” Eberflus said. “The wind was not a factor there. We felt good where he was on the field. And we felt very confident in his ability to get that done.”
Brooks pushed past offensive lineman Matt Pryor to get a finger on the football, and long snapper Scott Daly and the right half of the Bears line were pushed to the ground on the play.
“We had to be firmer inside for sure,” Eberflus said.
Eberflus said the Bears plan to send the tape to the NFL for review because the Packers made contact with Daly. Rules state that long snappers are defenseless players, and therefore defenders may not forcibly hit the snapper’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm or shoulder.
“We just saw them making direct contact with him right away, and we’ll turn that in,” Eberflus said.
2. Safety Kevin Byard believes Bears players are trying to ‘do more and say less.’
As a team captain, Byard was asked about the feeling among his teammates in the middle of a four-game losing streak that includes two losses on stunning end-of-game plays.
The locker room was quiet and dispirited after Sunday’s game, but Byard said he believes a veteran group of players will work together to find answers as they continue a stretch of three straight division games.
“When you’re asking guys questions right after another loss, division opponent, you’re going to feel defeated,” Byard said. “We were defeated. Know what I mean? We lost.
“There are definitely emotions tied into it. We’re all trying to find answers and trying to find a way to get a win. And when you battle the way we battled on Sunday and you don’t come out with a victory, it’s tough.
“But I was just talking to (Montez Sweat) in the locker room. He’s not defeated. I think he’s more motivated to try to figure out ways to make impact plays. Same here. Know what I’m saying? I think we’re all trying to do more and say less, honestly.”
The Bears defense had a few breakdowns at key moments Sunday, including Jordan Love’s 60-yard pass to Christian Watson on the Packers’ winning drive.
One issue Eberflus addressed Monday was their recent lack of sacks — two total in the last two games. The Bears had two quarterback hits Sunday and sacked Love once.
“Definitely need a better-coordinated pass rush, getting on the quarterback, hitting the quarterback,” Eberflus said. “That’s something we have to look at. We have to be better there, for sure.”
3. Left tackle Braxton Jones called his block on D’Andre Swift’s touchdown run ‘super satisfying.’
When Swift broke free for a 39-yard touchdown in the third quarter, it was impossible to miss the block that helped spring him.
Jones sent safety Evan Williams flying to the ground, and Swift went racing by the block. Jones, who came back from a knee injury Sunday, sprinted after Swift to celebrate the touchdown.
“It’s super satisfying,” he said. “Obviously it’s a DB, but it’s still a shot to make D’Andre in open space and give him time to get a touchdown there. It’s the execution of a play, and then when it comes to life, it’s the most exciting thing for me.
“Obviously I feel pretty good in the open space and making space blocks like that. I feel like that’s one of my strengths. … So when it does happen, I’m not surprised or anything like that. But it’s fun when a big block like that is made into a touchdown.”
Jones had a play on the opposite end of the spectrum, however, when Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary got past him to sack quarterback Caleb Williams for an 8-yard loss on the final drive.
“One hundred percent on me,” Jones said. “I’ve got to be better in some technique issues coming back from injury. I’ve just got to be better in that situation and not give him the inside, better with my hands and of course better pad level the whole game. I know those things. I’ve just got to be better in that situation.”
4. Safety Elijah Hicks is dealing with an ankle injury.
Hicks left the game on the Packers’ last drive after he rolled his ankle on Watson’s big catch. With safety Jaquan Brisker on injured reserve with a concussion, Jonathan Owens is the likely next option.
Left guard Ryan Bates is being evaluated for a concussion, but there’s a chance left guard Teven Jenkins could return from his ankle injury this week, Eberflus said.
