LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) — In the wake of a heartbreaking loss to the Commanders on Oct. 27, the Bears spoke openly of the need for accountability, but there wasn't much of it on display in the aftermath.
Coach Matt Eberflus claimed his team would take responsibility for its miscues in that loss, yet he didn’t publicly fall on the sword for his own strategical decisions that backfired. Second-year cornerback Tyrique Stevenson braced for internal discipline for his loss of focus on the game-ending Hail Mary, but he ultimately missed just 12 plays in the Bears' ensuing game.
From players to coaches, the Bears touted their culture last week and proclaimed they would push past their devastating loss in Washington. Then, they produced arguably the most dispiriting performance of Eberflus’ three years on the job.
The Bears appeared uninspired and uninvested in a 29-9 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. So, when they returned to Halas Hall on Monday, their regular meeting took on a different tone.
Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards revealed Tuesday to the Bernstein & Harris Show that the meeting was one “we needed,” with no sugarcoating involved. He declined to share which members of the team spoke out, while those inside Halas Hall were mum on additional details.
“A little bit of just trying to make sure we’re all on the same page and really just addressed some things that needed to be addressed,” team captain and veteran safety Kevin Byard said. “So, it was a productive meeting.”
Eberflus termed it a "Monday meeting like we always have,” declining to shed light on the tenor of those discussions. He has stood by the players and coaches inside Halas Hall, saying his team is “pulling on the same rope.” But many observers around the league see the Bears’ issues stemming from Eberflus, who's in danger of losing the locker room.
The Bears sit at 4-4 as they prepare to face the Patriots (2-7) on Sunday at Soldier Field. They entered the season with higher expectations and the hopes of emerging as a playoff team. Eberflus was retained for a third season back in January largely because of how he kept the Bears together through adversity in his first two seasons.
Now, it seems as if the Bears are coming apart. They appointed eight team captains this season, and those key figures have been forced to assess the state of this locker room.
“Obviously, the objective is to always experience victory at the end of every week,” said Bears tight end Marcedes Lewis, an 18-year NFL veteran and a team captain. “Sometimes it doesn’t happen that way. But for me, it’s just about being even-keeled. When it comes to coaching, coach the same things as we would in a victory as we would in a defeat, and just continue to be honest with each other and be able to confront the truth. I mean, we see each other the most. We see each other more than we do our own family. So, it’s important to be honest and continue to communicate. I think that was really the message. Keep doing the right things the right way, and you live with the results that way.
“We can’t start tightening up, doing things out of character and going off the reservation because things aren’t going your way. You got to stay the course. Obviously, that’s easier said than done most times, but sometimes you got to buzz the tower and repeat the same things so that’s always in the forefront of your mind. That’s all you can do. You approach things the right way, make sure you’re paying close attention to detail, handling your business. If you can do that, you can live with whatever’s going to happen after that.”
After the Bears' loss to the Commanders on the Hail Mary, Byard shared remarks about Eberflus’ game management that were deemed critical. He later attempted to walk those comments back. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaylon Johnson joined the Spiegel & Holmes Show a day after that loss and shared his belief that Eberflus should've called a timeout prior to the Hail Mary heave. Veteran tight end Cole Kmet pondered whether his team was maximizing its time in practice.
The Bears believe they still have a healthy culture in place. Their confidence in each other has been reiterated publicly, but the showing on the field calls those words into question.
“At the end of the day, you can meet all you want,” Byard said. “We got to go out there and show out on Sunday.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.