Bears Coaching Staff to Blame for Team Quitting Against the Arizona Cardinals

Fans had hoped that the Bears would rally from the tough loss at Washington. Good teams are resilient -- they shake off losses like that. They learn from them. They come out stronger the next week.

Instead, we had a Bears defense that couldn't stop the run. This is despite being lauded as one of the best defensive units in the league. For all the concern about Cardinals' quarterback Kyler Murray's dual-threat abilities and rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr's pass-catching talent, it was Cardinals' running back James Conner gashing the defense and Emari Demercado taking a handoff 53 yards to the house right before halftime. Demercado and the Cardinals had been looking for just a few yards to set up a field-goal attempt.

It's perhaps too harsh or too easy to suggest the Bears quit. There's the hangover effect from Washington at work, of course -- the team didn't shake off that loss or use it to come together. But in the interest of fairness, we must note that an average-at-best offensive line was decimated by injuries and key defensive players were also out. Perhaps a fully healthy Bears squad would have better handled a beatable Cardinals team.

Then again, it's hard to watch that Demercado touchdown and not conclude that the Bears quit. Or, at least, still had their heads in Maryland, still stewing over the failed Hail Mary.

How much of this falls on the coaching is debatable. What's not debatable is that head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron are both in the hot seat. Eberflus bears the blame for not helping this team move on from Washington, and since he also calls the defensive plays, he shoulders responsibility for the Demercado debacle.

Waldron, meanwhile, seemed to have no answer for the Cardinals' pass rush -- where are the screen passes, bootlegs, and runs that can set up play action? It's mystifying why star tight end Cole Kmet didn't get a single target. Sure, perhaps Kmet had some issues getting himself open, but that probably can't explain why he wasn't targeted at all.

A few short weeks ago, the Bears looked ready to get on a run before divisional games started. After the win against Jacksonville in London, it seemed plausible that the team could win all three games against Washington, Arizona, and New England. It seemed plausible right up until Jayden Daniels' Hail Mary pass was caught in the end zone.

Now Bears fans, sports columnists, and sports-talk yakkers are calling for a coaching change as the Bears sit at .500 with nine games remaining. The daunting gauntlet of division games all remain, and all three fellow NFC North teams are legitimate playoff contenders.

Things could change, the NFL is unpredictable like that. The Bears could learn from these two debacles. The coaches could come up with better game plans that better maximize the talent. The players could execute better. An over .500 record at season's end is still possible, if not plausible, as is a playoff appearance.

But if things don't change, there will be changes among the coaching ranks -- Eberflus and others might be employed elsewhere in 2025. General manager Ryan Poles is probably safe, for at least one more season, but if he isn't able to address the offensive line so that it can protect rookie quarterback -- and potential franchise savior -- Caleb Williams and get the running game established consistently, he too may be job hunting.

This author didn't see this coming two weeks ago. Let's hope that the positive future that seems so distant and unlikely arrives soon. It sure beats repeating Bears' history. Unfortunately, the team seems on the latter track as of now.

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