'Flus is in flux.
The Matt Eberflus era in Chicago hasn't exactly gone according to plan. In 2022, the former Colts defensive coordinator was entrusted with helping pull the Bears out of the muck and mire, putting behind years of coaching misery that has plagued the organization for the better part of a decade.
Well, that hasn't exactly been the case yet.
During Eberflus' tenure, the Bears have looked overmatched, overwhelmed and, at times, way over their heads. A lot of that is because of the seeming lack of progress from quarterback Justin Fields, while the staff as a whole hasn't inspired confidence as the solution to Chicago's long-running coaching dilemma.
MORE: Justin Fields calls out Bears coaching staff for offensive woes
Now, with some in-house drama and a season that's quickly spiraling, Eberflus' seat may be getting more than a bit hot. Here's the latest on Eberflus and whether or not he'll survive the weekend as Bears' coach:
Will the Bears fire Matt Eberflus?
Needless to say, every game on the schedule is critical for the Bears, but all eyes will be on the coach as Chicago looks to avoid its 14th consecutive loss on Thursday night. That could be the tipping point for Eberflus.
According to NBC Sports' Peter King, a bit of informed speculation tells him that Eberflus may get the axe on Friday morning if the Bears lose this Thursday night to the Commanders.
"You cannot lose 14 games in a row and think you should hold onto your job," King said. "I would not be surprised if it's a bad loss Thursday and the Bears make a change. Just wouldn't be surprising."
King also adds that he doesn't feel that it'll be a true house-cleaning of staff, which would also include Bears GM Ryan Poles.
MORE: NFL power rankings — Bears sit in dead last ahead of Week 5
There's a confluence of factors that call Eberflus' job security into question. First and foremost, the team has been very bad in all facets of the game since his hiring. Defensively, the Bears have been the worst unit in football between the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and that was capped off by blowing a 28-7 lead to the hapless Broncos in Week 4. Obviously, it looks way worse when you consider Eberflus' defensive coordinator background.
Offensively, the Bears have been offensive. Eberflus was charged with the somewhat tall task of making sure Justin Fields developed into a true franchise quarterback for the Bears, and that just hasn't happened under his watch, and by extension, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's. The team ranked 23rd in points scored in 2022 and 22nd in 2023.
Take all of that, couple it with some more in-house drama surrounding Chase Claypool and the curious resignation of defensive coordinator Alan Williams, it makes for a situation ready to explode — and another swing and a miss by the Bears.
If the Bears decide to give Eberflus his walking papers, it'll be the first time in the franchise's 104-year history that the team decided to move on from a coach during the season. But, if Eberflus keeps losing, he may find himself the answer to a trivia question.
Matt Eberflus coaching record
In 21 games as head coach of the Bears, Eberflus holds a 3-18 record, losing 14 straight games in the process entering the Week 5 "Thursday Night Football" matchup vs. the Commanders.
Eberflus' squads haven't exactly been the most aesthetically pleasing brand of football, either: The Bears rank 31st in point differential in both 2022 and 2023, and have fielded one of the league's worst offenses and defenses to boot by many metrics.
The Bears offense ranked 28th in yards and 23rd in points in 2022, while they rank 21st in yards and 22nd in points in 2023. That's hardly impressive for a team that added D.J. Moore this offseason.
On the other side of the ball, the Bears haven't fared much better with the defensive-minded Eberflus. In 2022, the unit ranked 29th in yards and 32nd in points allowed, while 2023 has shown a modest improvement: The defense ranks 28th in yards and 31st in points allowed.