There is often a consequence when you assemble a roster of talented, competitive players. They tend not to fall in line like good soldiers when things go wrong. Many of the guys on this Chicago Bears roster have experienced mostly losing in their careers. They’re tired of it. They want to win. So, should we be surprised they may want changes if they sense a guy can’t do the job? Chicago already saw key members of the locker room stage an intervention with Shane Waldron a few weeks ago when things weren’t clicking.
For a time, proper adjustments were made, and the team started scoring points. In two games since the bye week, they have reverted right back to where they were against Tennessee and Houston. Waldron looks lost. Caleb Williams was sacked six times by one of the worst pass rushes in the league. Cole Kmet has been targeted once in the past two games. The offensive coordinator seems to have no clue what he wants to do. According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, players have had enough.
“If Eberflus is feeling pressure — and I have to imagine he is — he could be at the point where he’s got to consider a significant change. I generally shy away from “fire the coach” strategies. It’s a last-ditch ploy that most times doesn’t lead to a lot of significant improvement, but the Bears are really struggling here.
There are issues the team is working through on the offensive line — and those aren’t going to suddenly disappear if someone new is calling plays — but Waldron isn’t a dynamic guy in front of the offense in the meeting room and that’s a part of it. The coach has to be able to sell the plan and the vision with energy. The sense I get is the players would welcome a change.”
Shane Waldron isn’t out yet, but he’s backed into a corner.
This shouldn’t be a surprise. His unit, which had scored over 30 points in two straight games before the bye, combined for 24 total in the losses to Washington and Arizona. Having this happen despite two weeks of preparation and facing two average defenses is a gigantic red flag. It appears the Bears players can already sense Waldron has no answers. This offense has too much talent to play so poorly, even with the offensive line injuries. If they come out flat again next week against New England? Matt Eberflus may have no choice.
If the Bears stripped Shane Waldron of his play calling duplay-callingst likely replacement would be passing game coordinator Thomas Brown. Chicago brought him in to bolster the staff and was their insurance policy in case Waldron left for a head coaching job in the near future. Ironic. Brown has experience as a coordinator from his time in Miami and, briefly, last season in Carolina. Quarterbacks coach Kerry Joseph and wide receivers coach Chris Beatty are two other potential options.
