Tag: bears

Oct 6, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4) celebrates a long run with wide receiver DJ Moore (2) against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Bears WR D.J. Moore, RB D’Andre Swift sit out practice again

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Chicago Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore and running back D’Andre Swift did not participate in practice for the second straight day on Thursday due to their respective quad injuries.

While Moore and Swift were unable to practice on Thursday, wide receiver Keenan Allen was a full participant after missing Wednesday’s session with an ankle injury.

The Bears (4-8) are mired in a six-game losing skid heading into Sunday’s game against the San Francisco 49ers (5-7) in Santa Clara, Calif.

Moore leads the team in catches (62) and receiving yards (663). He is tied with Allen in receiving touchdowns with five.

Swift, in turn, leads the Bears in carries (179) and rushing yards (704). His five rushing touchdowns are one shy of Roschon Johnson for the team lead.

Johnson (concussion) also sat out practice on Thursday. Should both Swift and Johnson be unable to play versus the 49ers, Travis Homer would be in line for a bigger workload. He has three carries for 16 yards on the season.

Veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis (rest), defensive back Elijah Hicks (ankle) and offensive lineman Ryan Bates (concussion) also did not participate in practice for the second straight day on Thursday.

Offensive lineman Darnell Wright (knee) was upgraded from limited to a full participant on Thursday.

–Field Level Media

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs against Detroit Lions during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024.

Bears bid to stop 6-game slide in clash vs. injury-riddled 49ers

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A lengthy losing streak that has shown consistent confusion and a high-profile case of clock mismanagement ultimately deep-sixed Matt Eberflus as head coach of the Chicago Bears.

As the team prepares to close the season under interim coach Thomas Brown, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams knows he must maintain confidence and a short memory. The quest will begin with Sunday’s game against the similarly struggling San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif.

“The first part is understanding that I can’t control (everything),” Williams said. “Even if I understand or don’t understand, that doesn’t matter. I’ve got to roll with the punches.”

Chicago (4-8) enters on a six-game losing streak, a skid twice as long as that of defending NFC champion San Francisco (5-7).

The Bears will aim to win for the first time since Week 6 behind Brown, who last month was named interim offensive coordinator after Eberflus fired Shane Waldron.

Asked about the opportunity to boost his stock as a possible permanent solution as Chicago’s head coach, Brown said: “I don’t think about it at all. I think about the moment.”

Chicago parted ways with Eberflus on Friday after he went 14-32 in two-plus seasons. One day earlier, he endured the latest in a string of bamboozling last-second losses. Trailing the host Detroit Lions by three points with the ball on the Lions’ 41-yard line and 36 seconds left, Chicago didn’t call its last timeout. A Williams pass for Rome Odunze near the end zone was incomplete as time expired.

While San Francisco remains mathematically in the hunt for the NFC West crown, the 49ers need considerable help. They trail division-leading Seattle by two games but are just 1-3 within the West with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams and a visit to the Arizona Cardinals remaining on their slate.

Injuries continue to deplete the 49ers, adding degrees of slope to their uphill climb for a possible postseason berth. Although quarterback Brock Purdy returned from a one-game absence due to a sore right (throwing) shoulder, San Francisco lost more than a lopsided game in its 35-10 defeat against Buffalo last Sunday.

Running backs Jordan Mason (high ankle sprain) and Christian McCaffrey (posterior cruciate ligament) were placed on injured reserve after getting hurt against the Bills. The McCaffrey news especially was stinging after he missed the first eight games due to Achilles tendinitis.

“I just feel for him,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It was a real frustrating year for him. He worked his (backside) off to get back to this point, and I think he was really feeling good and about to take off. He just had that real unfortunate injury. … I know he’s as crushed as anyone, but he’ll get through this. He’s a (heck) of a player, a (heck) of a person, and an unbelievable 49er. And he’ll be back stronger than ever next year to help us.”

The organization also has endured off-field tragedy as Sondra Williams, wife of left tackle Trent Williams, lost a stillborn son last month.

Williams (ankle injury), defensive end Nick Bosa (hip, oblique), linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) and guard Aaron Banks (concussion) sat out practice on Wednesday for the 49ers.

The Bears, in turn, saw running backs D’Andre Swift (quad) and Roschon Johnson (concussion), wide receivers Keenan Allen (ankle) and D.J. Moore (quad), offensive lineman Ryan Bates (concussion), and defensive back Elijah Hicks (ankle) unable to practice on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media

Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Bears announce coaching assignments after Eberflus firing

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The Chicago Bears promoted wide receivers coach Chris Beatty to interim offensive coordinator on Monday and announced that defensive coordinator Eric Washington will be the defensive play caller in the wake of last week’s firing of head coach Matt Eberflus.

Interim head coach Thomas Brown will continue to call the offensive plays, albeit from the field. Brown was promoted from passing game coordinator to replace OC Shane Waldron, whom the Bears fired three weeks.

Eberflus, a former DC, was the team’s defensive play caller.

The Bears fired Eberflus on Friday, one day after an excruciating sixth straight defeat and third consecutive loss decided on the final play. Trailing 23-20 on Thanksgiving Day, the Bears were within field-goal range when quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked. With 32 seconds remaining, Eberflus elected not to use his final timeout as Williams heaved an incompletion down the right sideline as time expired.

Eberflus said after the game that everything was handled properly.

Eberflus, 54, went 14-32 in two-plus seasons.

The Bears (4-8) travel to San Francisco (5-7) in Week 1.

–Field Level Media

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus on the sidelines during the second half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images

Back to work, Bears coach Matt Eberflus ‘getting ready’ for 49ers

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Matt Eberflus survived Black Monday and appears to be safe as the Chicago Bears head coach on Black Friday, too.

Less than 24 hours after Eberflus experienced a six straight defeat and third consecutive loss decided on the final play, the third-year coach conveyed plans to conduct business as usual before a Friday afternoon meeting with team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles.

“The operation has been normal,” Eberflus said of his plans for Friday in the office with players home for the long weekend before returning to practice Monday.

The Bears have never fired a coach in-season and Eberflus indicated he doesn’t expect to be the first.

“I’m confident that I’ll be working on to San Francisco and getting ready for that game,” Eberflus said, pointing to the Week 14 matchup with the 49ers. He won his coaching debut with the Bears, 19-10, in 2022 but is 13-32 since.

On Thursday, Chicago lost 23-20 at Detroit, rallying from a dormant first half and had the ball in field-goal range when quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked. In a sequence that began with 32 seconds on the game clock, the Bears had options. They could have spiked the ball to stop the clock, attempting what would have been around a 60-yard field goal or going for a first down with plenty of time to “clock” the ball.

Another option Eberflus chose not to use was calling a timeout.

Instead, the ball was snapped 28 seconds later and Williams heaved an incompletion down the right sideline as time expired.

Media members repeatedly have questioned Eberflus in press conference settings about taking personal accountability. But on Friday he said the Bears handled the final sequence appropriately and “the operation wasn’t fast enough.”

Wide receiver Keenan Allen said Thursday afternoon that “we did enough as players to win the game.”

Williams said the timeout call wasn’t his to make.

“We can call a timeout there or we cannot,” he said. “I’m not going to say I was surprised. My job is just to go out there and make plays. I let the coaches and everybody make that decision – it is their call. Maybe in the later years of my career, it will be my call.”

Poles paid a personal visit to Williams in the locker room for a discussion, and Warren stood watch to take in the wide-lens scene of the locker room packing to return to Chicago with an 0-3 record in the NFC North. The Bears had chances to beat all three division opponents but the Packers blocked a game-winning FG attempt by Cairo Santos, the Vikings escaped Chicago with a 30-27 overtime win and the Lions wriggled away Thanksgiving Day with Chicago more than threatening in the final minute.

When Poles and Warren meet with Eberflus, and Bears chairman George McCaskey joins the discussion as he did in January with support for Eberflus to return, they will likely incorporate what they’ve heard from players in the locker room. It’s also fair to presume they’re listening to open discussion from Eberflus’ peers on the late-game braincramp.

New England Patriots first-year coach Jerod Mayo stepped away from the final minute of the Bears’ loss on CBS Thursday to talk to his coaches and support staff about the time management elements in play and how they would navigate the situation.

“I probably would’ve handled it a little bit differently,” Mayo said.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running back David Montgomery celebrate the 31-26 win over the Chicago Bears at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023.

Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery to play vs. Bears

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Detroit Lions star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running back David Montgomery are active for Thursday afternoon’s game against the visiting Chicago Bears.

St. Brown (knee) and Montgomery (shoulder) were both listed as questionable to play for the Lions (10-1), who have won nine games in a row.

St. Brown leads the team in catches (71), receiving yards (747) and receiving touchdowns (nine), while Montgomery has rushed for a club-best 11 TDs to go along with 632 rushing yards.

While Detroit will have those two key cogs in its lineup, it will be without several others.

Taylor Decker, fellow offensive linemen Kayode Awosika, Colby Sorsdal and Giovanni Manu as well as cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Emmanuel Moseley are inactive for the Lions.

As for the Bears (4-7), they listed the following players as inactive: offensive linemen Ryan Bates and Kiran Amegadjie, defensive backs Elijah Hicks and Ameer Speed, wide receiver Tyler Scott and defensive lineman Dominique Robinson.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery scores the go-ahead 1-yard touchdown with 29 seconds left to defeat the Chicago Bears, 31-26, at Ford Field, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023.

Vanquishing Bears, Thanksgiving losing streak tops Lions’ holiday list

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Emboldened by the view from the top of the NFC North, the Detroit Lions are out to eliminate nightmare holiday gatherings when the Chicago Bears come to town Thursday for a lunchtime division duel.

The Lions (10-1) are streaking one direction, the Bears (4-7) the other in the first matchup of the season between teams on opposite ends of the division.

Riding a nine-game winning streak, their longest since a 10-game streak during their first season in Detroit in 1934, the Lions are burdened by losses in their traditional Thanksgiving Day game the past seven seasons. Three of the defeats are courtesy of Chicago.

The Bears and Lions get together for the 20th time on Thanksgiving — the Bears have 11 wins — this week in the first of two meetings between the teams in a 25-day span. Detroit goes to Soldier Field on Dec. 22.

“I think there’s two things,” Campbell said of the Thanksgiving losing streak. “Number one — Get a W. And it’s a division win that’s why this huge. Number two is because the players are going to get a couple of days off. So, they have family, friends in, it’d be nice to feel good about it when you’re with everybody because it’s just not real fun. It’s not real fun to be around.”

Detroit (10-1) owns the best record in the NFC but the Lions aren’t even assured of a division title. Minnesota sits one game behind them and Green Bay is two games back. The Bears (4-7) sit in last place and would likely need to run the table to have any chance of making the playoffs.

The Lions have been dominant in all phases and haven’t allowed a touchdown in the past 10 consecutive quarters.

Detroit’s offense ranks first in points per game (32.7) and second in total yardage (394.3) The Lions defense has not given up a touchdown in the last 10 quarters. Rookie placekicker Jake Bates has made all 16 of his field goal attempts, including four from 50-plus yards over the past three games.

Chicago shows up in a foul mood. The Bears are saddled with a five-game losing streak and Chicago’s defense has been destroyed for nearly 2,000 total yards in the last four games.

The Bears failed to reach the 20-point mark four times in five outings since they last won a game. In their latest defeat, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense perked up but they lost to Minnesota in overtime, 30-27.

“We have to play complementary football for us to be able to win these games,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “The games we have won, we have done that. The games we have been close we’ve missed the mark a little bit. Over the course of the year, it’s been one side or the other, this side or that side. In this league you have to be good on all sides to win. That’s what we are searching for.”

Williams threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. The wide receiver trio of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Romeo Odunze combined for 21 receptions and two touchdowns while tight end Cole Kmet caught seven passes.

“What I’ve been impressed with is just how he has grown,” Campbell said. “He has grown every game but these last two I really feel like he’s taken off and what they’re doing with him has been really good for him and he just looks very composed. He doesn’t get frazzled, plays pretty fast, and he’s an accurate passer, big arm, and he’s got some guys that can get open for him.”

Detroit’s banged-up secondary could be susceptible against the Bears’ veteran receivers in their bid to pull off an upset on Thursday.

The Lions put two defensive backs on injured reserve in the past week and top cornerback Carlton Davis isn’t expected to play due to knee and thumb injuries.

Detroit offensive tackle Taylor Decker (knee) and top returner Kalif Raymond (foot) are also expected to miss the game, though Campbell expressed optimism that running back David Montgomery (shoulder), formerly of the Bears, would play. Bears safety Elijah Hicks was listed as a DNP for Tuesday’s walkthrough.

–Field Level Media

Nov 24, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) catches a touchdown pass against Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens (36) during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Vikings withstand Bears’ furious rally, win on field goal in OT

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John Parker Romo made a 29-yard field goal to lift the Minnesota Vikings to a 30-27 overtime win against the host Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon.

Romo buried the game-winning kick in his third career game for Minnesota (9-2), which won its fourth game in a row. The score capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive for the Vikings after the Bears went three-and-out on the first overtime possession.

Sam Darnold completed 22 of 34 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Vikings. Wideout Jordan Addison finished with eight catches for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown.

The overtime defeat spoiled an impressive performance from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who completed 32 of 47 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns for Chicago (4-7). D.J. Moore had seven catches for 106 yards and a touchdown, and Keenan Allen finished with nine catches for 86 yards and a score.

Chicago erased an 11-point deficit in the final 22 seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime.

Romo had put Minnesota on top 27-16 when he made a 26-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Williams trimmed the Bears’ deficit to 27-24 with 22 seconds to go. He rolled right and found Allen wide open in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown, and moments later he fired a strike to Moore for a two-point conversion.

The Bears recovered an onside kick on the next play to regain possession at their 43-yard line with 21 seconds left. Cairo Santos’ onside kick bounced off the foot of Vikings tight end Johnny Mundt, and Tarvarius Moore recovered it.

D.J. Moore put the Bears in field-goal position with a 27-yard reception across the middle of the field, and Santos made a 48-yarder as time expired to even the score at 27-all.

Minnesota led 24-10 after three quarters.

Romo made a 40-yard field goal early in the third quarter, and Aaron Jones punched in a 2-yard run with 1:22 left in the period to put the Vikings on top by two touchdowns.

Addison and Jalen Nailor each had receiving touchdowns in the first half for Minnesota.

Roschon Johnson scored on a 1-yard run for the Bears’ only touchdown of the first half. Chicago trailed 14-10 at the break.

–Field Level Media

Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and fullback C.J. Ham (right) look on before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Vikings QB Sam Darnold practices, ready for Bears

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Quarterback Sam Darnold kickstarted the Vikings’ offense on Thursday as he has most of the 2024 season, and plans to play Sunday in a meaningful NFC North road game at Chicago.

Darnold returned to practice after being listed as a limited participant on Wednesday because of a foot injury.

The Vikings (8-2) are anticipating another close matchup with the Bears (4-6), who won a field-goal battle at Minnesota last season while head coach Kevin O’Connell was shuttling quarterbacks in and out of the lineup to replace the injured Kirk Cousins.

That’s not a problem these days.

After Cousins left for greener pastures in Atlanta, the Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year deal and drafted Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the first round. Darnold already has eight wins, beating the 7-10 mark the Vikings cobbled together with a QB room that spun on fast forward from Cousins, Jaren Hall, Nick Mullens, and Joshua Dobbs.

“What we’re trying to get from Sam is play the best football of his career,” O’Connell said.

Darnold is delivering and the Vikings have a three-game winning streak in tow when they arrive at Soldier Field on Sunday.

He has posted a 100.0 passer rating in 10 starts. He has completed a career-best 67.9 percent of his passes for 2,387 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The next touchdown pass will mark a career high for Darnold, who sputtered with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers before serving as the San Francisco 49ers’ backup last season.

“I just feel like, you know — not talking about past experiences at all — but I think here it’s the detail that we’ve had ever since OTAs, ever since April,” Darnold said. “We’ve been able to lock in our progressions. Just our feet, our eyes, where they’re supposed to be. And just being on time with the concepts.

“If you play like that, it makes the quarterback position a little bit easier.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

Thomas Brown, Bears deepen detail to boost QB Caleb Williams

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A stickler for details, Thomas Brown wants to rebuild Caleb Williams’ confidence through a simplification of the Chicago Bears’ offensive scheme.

Brown, promoted to offensive coordinator last week after Shane Waldron was fired, found some success last Sunday when Williams drove the Bears into position for a game-winning field goal that was blocked in a 20-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

What showed up on film when Williams and Brown huddled to review Week 11 was a tad different from the on-field results.

Williams — the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft still feeling his way through the gradual progression of a franchise quarterback — said the “simplified” offense isn’t one that was whittled down to aid understanding. Rather, Brown brought such a finite degree of detail and thought to each play that his call sheet eventually will become a reference point with tens of dozens of subcontext for Williams to sort in real time.

“We didn’t reinvent the wheel for those three or four days that Thomas became the offensive coordinator and play caller,” Williams said. “I think the decisiveness, all of that came from our meetings and how we’re going to do things. It came from being able to get play calls in faster and being able to get up there and not feel like you’re rushed or not feel like you need to hurry up and get the ball snapped.

“All of these small things — details of routes, details of the blocking, details of the path of running backs and how we’re going to do things — I think that led into all of what happened last week. We didn’t come out with the win, but how we played efficiently and physically, that leads into it.”

Fellow rookie and top-10 pick Rome Odunze felt like he was back at Washington for moments because of the rapidity with which Brown got calls to Williams, who relayed them to the huddle and hurried the team to the line of scrimmage with a newfound command.

There was a different type of clarity and confidence eminating from Brown down through the offensive chain of command on the field.

“As wide receivers, we’re kind of looking at the defense as well and reading those things along with Caleb. So understanding what kind of coverage look we’re getting and what technique the DBs are playing on us allows us to kind of build a plan for that snap. Same thing with Caleb,” Odunze said. “He just has to do it at a higher level. So it helps us all.”

Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen said that in hindsight, the wheels started coming off for the Bears in training camp. In his opinion, Waldron was “too nice,” and he allowed mistakes and lack of detail and focus to become accepted.

“That’s football and that’s life,” Odunze said. “Doing the little things right will eventually show on a bigger stage.”

–Field Level Media

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) runs into position to pass during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.

Caleb Williams, Bears look to rebound, end skid vs. Vikings

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Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is well aware of his team’s impressive record.

O’Connell knows the Vikings have surprised many observers who projected them to finish at or near the bottom of the NFC North. He knows about the praise being directed his way for reviving the career of journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold.

However, O’Connell is not satisfied. He wants to see his players take another step forward when the Vikings (8-2) visit the Chicago Bears (4-6) on Sunday along the shores of Lake Michigan.

“We’ve just got to continue to get better and prove it,” O’Connell said. “8-2 means absolutely nothing.”

This weekend’s division rivalry matchup should be something.

The Bears are desperate to snap a four-game losing streak and earn their first victory since Oct. 13. Chicago’s skid began when it lost on a Hail Mary pass against the Washington Commanders, and it turned four weeks old last Sunday when the Green Bay Packers blocked a 46-yard field-goal attempt by Bears kicker Cairo Santos as time expired.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus tried to stay upbeat despite the mounting losses.

“There were a lot of positives to build from,” he said. “That’s what you have to do.”

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will try to build upon a solid start as he prepares to face the Vikings for the first time in his young career. The rookie completed 23 of 31 passes for 231 yards last week against Green Bay, and he carried the ball nine times for 70 yards.

Chicago wide receiver DJ Moore, who had a team-high seven catches for 62 yards last week, said he and his teammates should be able to maintain their positive momentum this week against the Vikings’ top-10 defense.

“With all the players we’ve got, I hope we are able to move the ball on all types of defenses — from the No. 1 defense in the league down to the 32nd,” Moore said. “I hope we can keep it up and hopefully get some wins out of it.”

As the Bears look to stop a losing streak, the Vikings will aim to maintain their winning streak. Minnesota is coming off victories against the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans over the past three weeks.

Darnold has posted a 100.0 passer rating in 10 starts this season. He has completed a career-best 67.9 percent of his passes for 2,387 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The next touchdown pass will mark a career high for Darnold, who sputtered with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers before serving as the San Francisco 49ers’ backup last season.

“I just feel like, you know — not talking about past experiences at all — but I think here it’s the detail that we’ve had ever since OTAs, ever since April,” Darnold said. “We’ve been able to lock in our progressions. Just our feet, our eyes, where they’re supposed to be. And just being on time with the concepts.

“If you play like that, it makes the quarterback position a little bit easier.”

It also helps to have All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson, who has 59 catches for 912 yards and five touchdowns. The Vikings’ top rusher is former Packer Aaron Jones, who has 692 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the ground.

The teams split their matchups last season. The Vikings won 19-13 in Chicago on Oct. 15, and the Bears responded with a 12-10 victory in Minneapolis on Nov. 27.

Chicago is 4-2 at home this season. Minnesota is 4-1 on the road.

–Field Level Media