Matt Eberflus Changed Bears’ Entire Practice Structure To Push Justin Fields

A big responsibility for a head coach is identifying what worked and didn’t work during the season and being willing to make changes going into the next. Matt Eberflus faced that challenge following the conclusion of the 2022 campaign. There is no question his inaugural season didn’t go as planned. The Chicago Bears finished 3-14, their worst record since 1969. Much of that came from a lack of talent on the roster. However, there were also things that a coach could and should be able to correct.

By far, the biggest issue to address was Justin Fields. The young Bears quarterback did a lot of good things last season. He had one of the best rushing years in NFL history with 1,143 yards. However, he also had a disappointing year as a passer. Many already believe he’s incapable of navigating pro coverage fast enough to beat teams with his arm. Eberflus took it as a challenge to prove them wrong. According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, he did this by making some adjustments to how the Bears practice in training camp.

The results have been encouraging.

Dating back to OTAs, the Bears have made a concerted effort to increase the amount of time spent on the passing game with longer 7-on-7 periods for the first-team offense and repping more two-minute and end-of-half situations.

It’s in those moments when coach Matt Eberflus measures Fields’ growth as a passer. In the two-minute drill during the Bears’ first padded practice Tuesday, Fields evaded the rush to buy time on third down and finished with a no-look pass to Moore in the end zone.

“I thought he did a good job of going through his reads to start,” Eberflus said, “so he went through his progression and then he felt the pocket break down and then he did his thing.

“And that’s what we’re talking about. During situations — which is that was a situation, right? – we’re in a two-minute, end of half, we’re trying to score a touchdown, we’ll take a field goal, where he utilized that.”

Matt Eberflus isn’t the only one pushing this agenda.

GM Ryan Poles has repeatedly stated that the Bears’ focus was on getting Fields more comfortable in two-minute situations. That should tell you this is an organizational decree. The quarterback struggled in those situations last year, going 12-of-24 with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Smart people know that games are often decided by how you finish the second and fourth quarters. Fields wasn’t the only reason the Bears struggled in both categories, but it’s hard to ignore how consistently he faltered in those situations.

Focusing on it from the outset is a smart decision by Matt Eberflus. He wants to challenge his quarterback early and often, force him to work on his biggest weaknesses. The primary goal is to make Fields better. That said, it’s also an evaluation tactic. Eberflus has said many times he always has the long view in mind. He has to know if this kid will be his quarterback of the future or not. That means collecting information.

The good news is Fields has looked sharp in two-minute drills through the first week of training camp. Most of the damage is being done with his arm. Hope remains that he will take the big step forward Eberflus and the organization seek.