LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- The Bears went into halftime Sunday trailing 7-0 against the 49ers and with just 68 yards of offense in a type of frustrating performance that has been far too familiar for the unit.
In the locker room at Soldier Field, Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was prepared to make the necessary adjustments. He recognized the 49ers’ aggressive defensive front and that he needed to open up the offense for second-year quarterback Justin Fields.
Getsy did just that, and the Bears scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half while racking up 19 unanswered points in their eventual 19-10 win over the 49ers on a rain-soaked afternoon.
“It was outstanding,” coach Matt Eberflus said of Getsy’s play-calling. “I thought it was good. Sometimes you have a half like that where it goes that way on either side of the ball. Your ability to adjust, adapt and overcome, that’s the big thing we say to our football team, and that’s true as a coordinator too. And he did that.
“It's the whole staff getting together making in-game adjustments as they go and what’s going to work for us. They did a nice job of working Justin out of the pocket a little bit. He did some of that on his own when he flushed himself. It worked out nice.”
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The Bears flipped the script in the third quarter, starting with a 51-yard touchdown strike from Fields to receiver Dante Pettis after Fields improvised by getting outside the pocket. Fields later threw his second touchdown of the game on an 18-yard connection to receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, a pass that was set up by a play-action design from Getsy that schemed open a pair of options in coverage.
Bears fullback Khari Blasingame was the first read in the flat, while receiver Byron Pringle was the third read – and also wide open on the back side of the play. He watched as Fields connected with St. Brown in the end zone.
“We had showed the run earlier in the game,” Pringle said of the play-action call. “They definitely thought it was run. From what I seen, the reaction of the defense, they definitely thought it was run.”
After averaging 2.3 yards per play in the first half, the Bears were more efficient by averaging 5.2 yards per play in the second half.
In reviewing the film, Eberflus came away with plenty of positive impressions but also pointed to details such as tackling technique and proper pad level as areas to improve. Of course, it’s always more enjoyable to seek improvement after earning a victory like the Bears did.
The Bears believed they could beat the 49ers, and Eberflus sees plenty of room for improvement.
"We have to get better,” Eberflus said. “We have a young football team. We have to improve in the fundamentals of the game."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
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