In Week One, the Chicago Bears went out and shocked many by beating the San Francisco 49ers. After the game the excuses poured in, that it was the weather and inexperience of Trey Lance. Both may be true to some extent, but the answer to how the Bears managed to win can be found in one man, Matt Eberflus.
During the offseason, I raved about how Eberflus’ coaching was perfect for the Bears defense heavy focus and the impact we could expect from it this season. In week 1 everything I had believed was proved to be true, and you can look no further than the penalties. During the game, the 49ers accumulated an impressive 99 penalty yards on 12 calls. The Bears only had 24 combined penalty yards. During the game the Bears showed discipline and hustle, flying to the ball and giving it 100% every single play. Rookies Jaquan Brisker and Dominique Robinson made huge plays, getting a sack and a fumble recovery in their very first game.
Even with impressive play by the defensive, the Bears still entered halftime without any points on the board. After halftime? 19 points, only allowing one field goal for San Francisco. You can try blaming it on the weather or on Trey Lance, but the clear answer is that Eberflus and Getsy simply adapted. They saw the offensive game plan was not going to work and changed it up so. Justin Fields could succeed, and he did. While the Bears may still not have the talent to win many games, they have the perfect coaching staff to build the foundation for a winning team.
In just his first week, Eberflus made his impact loud and impressive. Well prepared rookies, discipline, the ability to adapt, and most important: the win. Bears fans have a lot to look forward to.
