By james art 
Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberfluss yells during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
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The script for this Bears season is practically writing itself.
A healthy Maria goes horribly wrong and everything falls apart.
Well, true, but there’s more to the story. Here’s a new theory: The real slump for the Bears happened when the inactive list was released before the Arizona game.
It includes Jaquan Brisker and Kyler Gordon, so let’s once again mention how inconceivable it is that the Bears let Brisker finish the Carolina game after a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit with Tommy Tremble. It’s a very worrying injury that’s now in its fourth week.
Braxton Jones and Kieran Amegaji were on it, the two guys who played left tackle against Washington. Also defensive tackle Byron Covert, the unsung defensive hero from the previous week; and Montez Sweat, the Bears’ best player. This report can be summed up in one word: Problem.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) tackles Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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As faith in coach Matt Eberfluss and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron wanes, keep in mind that this roster is in dire need of help. Coaches may be an issue, but a terrible draft performance under previous GM Ryan Pace is also haunting the Bears.
Besides Jaylon Johnson, Pace’s top picks are playing for other teams (Roquan Smith, David Montgomery, Darnell Mooney). Cole Kmet turned out well, it’s a shame that none of the offensive players followed suit. Or, in fact, the Bears should have invested more high tackles in offensive linemen.
Should the Bears have tried to turn the selection of Rome Odunze into multiple picks, perhaps landing an offensive lineman and defensive tackle like, say, Jer’Zhan Newton, who stood out playing for the Commanders last week? Did any columnist suggest such a plan before last year’s draft? (Answer: Yes).
Realistically, Odunze could still turn out to be a smart pick. Give it a few years. Right now, however, Caleb Williams’ development is being marred by his lack of faith in the pass defense. He runs for his life, bails out early, can’t get comfortable – the same things Justin Fields experienced.
Drafting a potential star quarterback and stud receiver is all well and good in theory, but it’s a general rule of thumb in football that an offense doesn’t work without blocking. So it’s hard to assess the exact blame between Eberflus, Waldron and the bad projects of the past.
After the Arizona loss, Eberfluss suggested one way to slow the pass rush is to move the ball better. It’s an interesting dilemma because the Bears have been good at it. They ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards per game last season.
The offensive line is pretty much the same, so what changed? Put it on Fields if you want, but so is the offense. Waldron doesn’t have the benefit of fullbacks or blocking tight ends, so the Bears released spark plug Khari Blasingame and have light blocking backup tight ends like Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis. If Eberflus is wondering what happened to the run game, start there.
While his job security depends on a bear fur, Eberfluss has plenty of time to turn things around. Halfway through the 17-game season won’t reach halftime of next week’s game against New England.
The problem is that the last eight games have been brutal with all six games in the NFC North, plus the 49ers and Seahawks. A new haircut may not save Eberflus’ job, but high draft picks that come with bad endings are exactly what the Bears need.