With the benefit of hindsight, sure, call the TO sooner rather than later. But that's knowing how things actually worked out.

It would have actually been better to have gotten the play off, picked up 8 or ten yards and then called TO. But once you call TO, you can no longer catch it in the middle of the field if you call TO.

I don't understand why people keep ignoring this.

The issue was they couldn't get lined up and get a play off, in my opinion.

Not that they should have quickly burned their last TO.

Eberflus had a decision to make at :32.

1. Call the timeout immediately after the sack and:

a. Get a quick first down and clock it to stop the clock before kicking a FG
b. Miss on the quick first down with an incomplete pass before kicking a FG
c. Come up short of the first down still in the field of play and run the FG team out quick

or...

2. Save the timeout and get a quick/fast play then call the TO.

Either is fine with the amount of time they had (around :14), but Caleb came to the line after the decision to go with option 2 above and sat there for seven seconds and then waited to go deep on a play that took more than seven seconds to develop.

Eberflus was not a good coach and should never have been kept around for this season with a new QB coming in but the charade that happened last night was almost entirely on Caleb.

I addressed this in an earlier post. Once Eberflus saw how long it was taking for the offense to get lined up, he should've intervened and called the TO, at about :18 or so. Instead, he just stood there and watched the game slip away.

I mean, yeah, Caleb assumes some of the blame for not taking things into his own hands and calling the TO, but he's a rook and a child comparatively to Eberflus. And ultimately, time management is the responsibility of the HC, correct?

Looks like the coaching change didn’t help Caleb much yesterday…

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GeT5vabW...jpg&name=large

Well, when this OC is unceremoniously not retained that will be 2 coaches shitcanned in year 1. Hell of a start.

Old friend Ryan Poles has been really really bad in Chicago.

He also kept Eberflus which was insane

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ryan Poles dumped:<br>- David Montgomery<br>- Darnell Mooney<br>- Roquan Smith<br>- James Daniels<br><br>Ryan Poles replaced them with:<br>- D’Andre Swift<br>- old Keenan Allen<br>- Tremaine Edmunds<br>- Nate Davis<br><br>TAKE A ****ING BOW!!!</p>&mdash; Larski (Hire Ben Johnson) (@GuruKevlar) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuruKevlar/status/1865889201108996430?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Really bad? The haul he got from Carolina was one of the best trades this century. That alone makes that statement utterly ridiculous imo :evil:

That’s a little disingenuous though. It leaves out that they also got guys like dj moore and Montez sweat on the cheap and added draft capital like Rome odunze and Caleb Williams (no matter what you may think of him, it was the consensus pick ). And they’ve done a really good job with the draft. This is a really good team minus the coach if they can ever get Caleb Williams to play to his potential.

And it looks more and more like he doesn’t have much pull on the coach. The McCaskeys are good ole boy network guys who trust dinosaur advisors like polian and acorsi more than the GM. In this case it’s trace Armstrong who represents both eberflus and Shane Waldron. And eberflus stayed on because the mccaskeys were too cheap to buy out his contract. It sounded like poles had to scream up and down to get rid of eberflus and Waldron even when the decision was obvious. In this case the majority of the blame has to do with shitty ownership

Would also add that the bears have a pretty manageable cap. They play good defense and have way too many offensive skill players to be this bad. If they land Ben Johnson (which I expect McCaskey to do something dumb and walk away from a slam dunk) and they can fix Caleb Williams this is a legit good team.

Bears Wire(?)
 

According to long-time Chicago radio personality Dan McNeil, who hosts a podcast for Bet Rivers these days, the Bears have four candidates on their list to be their next head coach: Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. This also comes on the heels of a report from the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs that the team has "started talking to people behind the scenes, laying the groundwork for future discussions with candidates they want to be part of the process."

After that absolute ****fest with Tua that, IMO was criminally bad, why in the name of Brother****ing Cheatriot ****bag would you ever bring Flores in to coach your young QB?

Johnson, Brady, um...

Flores and Vrabel?

LMAO

I don't hate Vrabel for a young QB. He took a QB that Adam Gase thoroughly destroyed (not unlike what Flores was doing to Tua), and revived his career.

That doesn't necessarily indicate he'd be good for a young developing QB, but it's better than Flores' record. The whole Tua starts and hands it off until the game gets close then we're bringing in Fitzpatrick was criminal. Should have ended his career.

I love that they are looking at the bills and lions OC's

nothing ****s with a playoff team like your OC interviewing for an HC job and then coming back and trying to be OC ROFL

Vrabel is a Patriot Way meat head. He sucks by definition.

Fair, but there's no way I'm hiring a defensive coach if I have Caleb. The key to the whole franchise is that guy taking a massive leap forward. You are loaded with offensive playmakers. Whether you make the playoffs or not, offense needs to be the strength of that team for the next few years if they are going to become something.

Agreed. Poles has made some good decisions.

That X post is a lot of bit sideways.

In dumping Roquan Smith, they were able to draft DT Gervon Dexter. Signing Tremaine Edmunds was solid. He's a good LB with above-average cover skills. He's not Roquan, but he's not shit. I'd argue Dexter+Edmunds is far greater than just Roquan.

Trading out of that 1/1 slot in 2023 got them WR DJ Moore, RT Darnell Wright, Caleb, and the 2023 2nd they used to move up in the 2nd to snag CB Tyrique Stevenson (who was all-world as a rookie and is being a dipshit this year). They also still get another 2nd in 2025 from this. Plus he adds Odunze...

Poles isn't the problem. He's working it in the right direction. He needs a HC to help take it the rest of the way.

I am the first guy to say **** all things Brother****ing Cheatriot ****bag. But at least Vrabel had some success and isn't puking up Belicheat cliches and expecting it to work.

I'm far from Stanning for him, but Vrabel is better than a bunch of these other asshats that seem to get jobs every year.

100% agree. No clue why anyone would even put a defensive guy on the list. I think they're looking at the team and thinking they need some discipline and to get tougher. But a mature, established offensive guy can bring accountability and professionalism if they're, you know, accountable and professional. See Reid, Andy ca. 2013.

That being said, Flores is quite another level of fuctarded than Vrabel. Flores's treatment of Tua, who, while not as talented as Caleb was a similar level draftee and appears to be a more mature human than Caleb, is on record and honestly, the most ridiculous criminally bad management of a young QB. And I lived through the Squirmin Herman Mother****ing Sack of **** Edwards. That's quite a different level from Vrabel who at least didn't get in the way of Tannehill's resurrection.

Ryan Poles is going to **** this kid over isn’t he?

Flores would be a disaster of a hire

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rumors I&#39;m hearing on Bears head coach opening via team sources: <br>- Lions OC Ben Johnson wants the job, but Ryan Poles has reservations. There is a lot of belief that Johnson would push Poles out. <br>- Johnson is said to want Commanders assistent GM Lance Newmark as the GM. Newmark…</p>&mdash; Charlie Campbell (@DraftCampbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftCampbell/status/1874524165950333395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

They should probably fire Poles then.

why is poles still there lol

im not ready to say that passing on ben johnson will be a humongous mistake but he seems like a slam dunk hire

Bring Ryan’s Pole home?

Poles isn't a Chiefs way ****bag the way Pioli was a Patriot way ****bag, but in many ways the Bears are in a similar position.

Thank God for us Clark decided to change the power structure of the team and hired the head coach himself. I don't even want to think about who Pioli would have hired if Clark let the front office power structure stay the same.

The McClaskeys need to make a similar move. Hire the head coach themselves, and if that coach likes Poles, he stays. If that coach wants his own guy, then he goes.

And then hopefully he gets another job, so we can get more picks

Why is Ryan Poles even being allowed to lead their HC search?

What a dumpster fire franchise.

If that report is even half-true they should be running away from Poles even faster than his past performance would warrant it. Dude wants a defensive-minded coach to help build his franchise around their number one pick QB (largely so he can keep his job)? Yeah, no thanks.

Frank Clark can go in and give his version of bittin' kneecaps. Done!

Ownership is failing if they don’t get Ben Johnson

Some have said he wasn't really allowed to hire the first head coach. Source? People on CP.

No, there's no proof, but if it's true, then it would make sense to let him have a shot.

Poles is a ****ing reerun if he decides to hire that jackass Flores. He'd be awful for Williams.

Problem is the McClaskeys are ****ing idiots. Clark has proven to be a savvy owner, but the failson making the decisions for the Bears will absolutely **** this up.

The Bears always choose the wrong person, no matter who they hire. They have hired the "It" hire, and they have picked the "WTF" guy too.

NFL teams won't hire Eric Bienemy, but some teams probably should have.

This is a crazy thought, but maybe they would be perfect for each other.

Why would Flores be a disaster? He turned the Dolphins around and had back to back winning seasons before he left. Infact his first two seasons were better than Dan Campbell's first two. But Dan was allowed to have several high draft picks (Hutchinson, Williams, Gibbs, Sewell, Branch etc), a great O-line, an experienced QB, several decent pieces already there like St Brown, Mckneill etc and was lucky enough to have two good coach's fall into his lap in Johnson and Glenn.

Flores had none of the above. He had a young Tua when he personally wanted Herbert. Then his team's owner tried to get Peyton and Brady behind his back so what chance did he have? The guy has been a revelation with the Vikings and deserves another chance. Ben Johnson looks impressive with all those weapons in Detroit. But how does he look with lesser talent? That remains to be seen.

Exactly. You have a franchise QB who coming out had Mahomes as a comp. You don’t straddle him with another defense minded HC. You get one who can develop him and Johnson would be a great pick.

Flores would be a good hire for a team with an established QB. Just not sure if he’s the right guy to lead the development of Williams.

Can't blame Poles for wanting nothing to do with Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson called the architect of the 49ers defense and the guy that picked their offensive skill players a schmuck that works for basketball guys. Bad mouthed him to the press like a bitch (sources say) and then when Peters was enroute to interview him again Johnson canceled the interview while they were in the air. Very petty fragile guy. He's like a pouty Norv Turner.

Chicago needs an experienced HC with an offensive background.

If Jon Gruden is supposedly open for business again to hire… he would fit that criteria.

Ben Johnson to be in the house

New article just dropped:

https://www.esquire.com/sports/a6430...nterview-2025/

Lol. Spiritually drained.

Weird always works really well in NFL lockerrooms...

This guy's raw talent had better be as remarkable as anything this league has ever seen. Because he's throwing up about every roadblock possible for himself.

There's just an innate self-confidence combined with a complete lack of self-awareness that's going to make him awfully tough to want to go war with, it seems.

I wonder if his teammates could sense his spiritual drainage? They certainly noticed his anal seepage on and off the field

He's a guy who's been given a leadership role who noticeably lets difficulties get the best of him. I can't think of any high-stakes work environment where members of the team will see that and won't question if you're the right person for the job.

If that's his personality, then it sucks for him but he's gonna have to learn to control it.

The return of the dire wolf is hope for Caleb. The return of megafauna(giant kangaroo). Could give him a darkness retreat in it's pouch. It's milk would be an added bonus