Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus looks at the scoreboard during their game against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at Ford Field. Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
By Sean Keeley on

The Chicago Bears somehow found themselves with an opportunity to tie or defeat the Detroit Lions with a little over 30 seconds left in the game on Thanksgiving. Head coach Matt Eberflus ensured that they would never get the chance.

Despite trailing 16-0 at halftime, the Bears chipped away at the Lions’ lead in the second half, pulling within three points thanks to two fourth-quarter touchdowns. When Detroit kicker Jake Bates missed his first field goal attempt of the season, it seemed like the momentum had truly shifted in Chicago’s direction. Sure enough, the Bears found themselves deep in Detroit territory with a chance to set up a game-tying field goal or potentially a game-winning touchdown in the final minute of the game. However, a series of seemingly unconscionable decisions by Eberflus led to the Bears wasting the final 32 seconds and rushing a bad play that ended their efforts and the game.

Perhaps no one was more surprised and confused than CBS announcers Jim Nantz and Tony Romo.

But that was just the beginning as members of the sports media world started tripping all over themselves to admonish Eberflus for his nonsensical decision-making and clock management.

“This is unacceptable from the head coach position,” said CBS NFL analyst Matt Ryan afterward. “Your responsibility is to not panic in critical situations. To put your team in the best opportunity to win games. That’s a massive, massive fail by Matt Eberflus”

“This is coaching malpractice,” added ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky.

And the hits just kept coming…

If it were up to the sports media world, Eberflus wouldn’t coach another game for the Bears. We’ll probably find out if the franchise agrees with that assessment over the weekend.

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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