(670 The Score) Bears head coach Matt Eberflus' seat is scalding hot after the latest development in a spiraling season, and saving his job will be a tall task.
That’s the reality for Eberflus after he fired his second offensive coordinator in 11 months by dismissing Shane Waldron from that position Tuesday after just nine games on the job. A defensive-oriented head coach, Eberflus also needs to provide stability for his Bears offense, and he has failed in that regard.
As Eberflus’ second offensive coordinator in three seasons, Waldron failed to instill basic concepts to create offensive flow. He didn't cater his scheme to the improved talent at his disposal, to the point that players voiced their disapproval on multiple occasions. The Bears offense was so fundamentally broken that the trust in this staff was as well.
Of course, the most damning indictment of Waldron was rookie quarterback Caleb Williams' poor play. Waldron’s primary objective was to lead a system in which the 22-year-old Williams could grow after he was selected at No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Nine starts into his NFL career, Williams seems to have regressed in recent weeks. Wednesday will mark one month since Williams threw four touchdowns passes during the Bears' 35-16 win against the Jaguars in London. He hasn't thrown a touchdown since, and the Bears have posted only 27 points in their past three games, all losses.
During the Bears’ ugly 19-3 loss to the Patriots on Sunday at Soldier Field, they had a season-worst 142 net yards of offense against a struggling defense. Williams was also sacked nine times.
The Bears are once again failing another young quarterback prodigy. A franchise that has never developed a star arm has been repeating the same mistakes. Williams' confidence appeared broken Sunday. Beyond the poor production, that alone would've been enough to fire Waldron
The Bears have turned to Thomas Brown as their new offensive coordinator after he previously served as their passing game coordinator. Eberflus interviewed Brown for the vacant offensive coordinator position back in January before he hired Waldron. Brown is highly regarded around the NFL, though he's unproven as a play-caller.
The Bears have enough talent for Brown to produce a turnaround for an offense that ranks 30th in the NFL in yardage per game. To do so, Brown will need to cater his scheme to the key players, which was one of Waldron’s greatest faults in his position.
With Waldron fired, the focus now turns to Eberflus' future. Until Tuesday, the Bears had never fired an offensive coordinator in the middle of a season. Waldron's dismissal could suggest Eberflus’ job security may not last into January.
The Bears (4-5) will have to fight to save a once-promising season, starting Sunday as they host the rival Packers (6-3) at Soldier Field. Six of Chicago's final eight games will come against foes from the tough NFC North.
To save his job, Eberflus will need to produce proof of collective growth by the Bears and a reason to believe he can lead a winning team moving forward. Beyond that, he needs to show he has a firm grasp of the offense despite being a defensive-minded head coach.
Firing Waldron was a significant and necessary step for the Bears to take, but it may be just the beginning of sweeping changes to come at Halas Hall.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.