WEBVTT - Matt Eberflus on developing during the Bye | Coaches Show Podcast 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.199 Welcome into the Bears Coaching Show featuring head coach Matty Reflution. 0:00:03.240 --> 0:00:05.760 A pleasant, good evening every one. I'm Jeff Jonaghak here 0:00:05.800 --> 0:00:08.399 with you until eight o'clock tonight. Good evening, Matt. How 0:00:08.480 --> 0:00:10.639 is your weekend? And were you able to get away 0:00:10.800 --> 0:00:15.040 even a little bit? Good evening? Yes, we did, and 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:17.639 we worked a little bit, you know, to start the week. 0:00:18.160 --> 0:00:19.919 The coaches came in. You know, we did a little 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:23.760 self scout the first couple of days, you know, Tuesday, Wednesday, 0:00:24.040 --> 0:00:26.400 and then I gave the coaches off Thursday through Sunday, 0:00:26.480 --> 0:00:28.960 so we got a chance to get away. We charge 0:00:29.000 --> 0:00:31.240 our batteries a little bit. But you know, self scout 0:00:31.280 --> 0:00:33.000 was good. We got a chance to look at ourselves 0:00:33.720 --> 0:00:36.279 like we did during the mini buy and improving our 0:00:36.600 --> 0:00:38.920 schemes as well as our players. You really never turned 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:42.040 the brain off football wives, do you. No, you always 0:00:42.080 --> 0:00:43.959 have your iPad with you so, which is always nice. 0:00:44.000 --> 0:00:45.960 You can always watch the little tape and uh, you know, 0:00:46.000 --> 0:00:48.879 always uh you know, get a little something from that, 0:00:48.960 --> 0:00:51.360 and we certainly did that, all right. Weird question, but 0:00:51.800 --> 0:00:53.599 do you have the iPad next to you when you're 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:56.400 talking to your bride? You know, you get the weak once. 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:58.920 The last time he took her on a date. I 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:01.040 have not taken it on a date. That would not 0:01:01.280 --> 0:01:04.880 that would not go well. But now it was. That 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:06.559 was good. You get a chance to do a little 0:01:06.560 --> 0:01:09.080 bit in the mornings, you know, and uh, it was 0:01:09.160 --> 0:01:11.360 good to get away a little bit, but certainly stay connected. 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:13.640 Has it been a challenge for you over the course 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:18.280 of your career to find that work life balance, family 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:20.720 cycle and all that that goes on, because it is 0:01:21.319 --> 0:01:24.560 it really is a three sixty five twenty four hour job. 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:27.039 A little bit, Yeah, you really have to do a 0:01:27.040 --> 0:01:29.920 good job of kind of compartmentalizing it. You know, where 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:32.760 you have your breaks, like on Friday afternoons where you 0:01:32.920 --> 0:01:35.240 spend family time and then some some you know, some 0:01:35.280 --> 0:01:37.560 time a little bit on Saturday, a little bit for 0:01:37.640 --> 0:01:40.360 home games. But uh yeah, it's only a few hours 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:42.200 here and there. You're pretty much wired in the rest 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:43.480 of the time. Did you get a look at some 0:01:43.520 --> 0:01:47.000 games yesterday for just for fun? Yeah? Yeah, I got 0:01:47.040 --> 0:01:48.760 a chance to watch the Philly game, of course, and 0:01:48.800 --> 0:01:50.440 I watched that, you know, on the way back I 0:01:50.520 --> 0:01:52.600 was flying back into Chicago, but I got a chance 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:55.960 to watch it. On the plane thoughts. Yeah, they look 0:01:56.040 --> 0:01:59.160 really good. I mean, obviously they were humming on all cylinders, 0:01:59.560 --> 0:02:01.680 you know, umped out to a twenty one to zero lead, 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:04.640 did a really good job running the football late to 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.600 kind of close the game out. But played good offense, 0:02:07.680 --> 0:02:09.880 defense and kicking. All right, we'll break into them a 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:12.920 little more detail in our last segment of tonight's program, 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:15.560 But yeah, they're cooking at twelve and one, first team 0:02:15.600 --> 0:02:19.119 to clinch a playoff spot in the NFL. Some remarkable 0:02:19.240 --> 0:02:23.280 quarterback play yesterday. With the magicians now decorating this league, 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:25.720 I gotta put justin in that category as well. But 0:02:25.800 --> 0:02:30.200 the handiwork with the football almost like point guardish with 0:02:30.360 --> 0:02:34.160 the guys like Jalen Hurts. Obviously, Patrick Mahomes the work 0:02:34.200 --> 0:02:39.000 of Brock Prudy, my fellow Iowa State alum, gets his 0:02:39.040 --> 0:02:43.919 first NFL start and beats Tom Brady and does so convincingly. 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.679 I mean, what is going on in this league? I 0:02:46.760 --> 0:02:48.400 don't know. I knew you had to get to Iowa 0:02:48.400 --> 0:02:50.640 State plug in them. I knew that was coming. No, 0:02:50.720 --> 0:02:52.440 he did a great job, pretty did a really good 0:02:52.520 --> 0:02:55.240 job yesterday. And it's just, you know, the dynamics of 0:02:55.280 --> 0:02:58.360 the league. It's changing, you know, the mobile quarterback and 0:02:58.400 --> 0:03:00.320 the guys that can really move in a US on 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:03.679 the fly. You're seeing that alway through Alan our guy, 0:03:04.320 --> 0:03:08.160 you know, mahomes Lamar. All those guys are really dynamic 0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:10.680 players and they can hurt you about bunch of different ways. 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:13.440 And it's an exciting time for the NFL. All right, 0:03:13.480 --> 0:03:15.560 what happened during the bye week that you're pleased with 0:03:15.919 --> 0:03:18.680 and what it's going to do for you moving forward 0:03:18.680 --> 0:03:21.240 for the final month. Yeah, I just would micro it 0:03:21.280 --> 0:03:23.760 down to the individual. I think that you know, us, 0:03:24.040 --> 0:03:26.800 you know, partneringship with the with the coaches and players. 0:03:26.840 --> 0:03:28.880 You know, that's so important to be able to help 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:32.320 the individual player, you know, so he can help himself 0:03:32.360 --> 0:03:36.240 to improve his fundamental techniques and therefore help our overall units. 0:03:37.560 --> 0:03:40.000 Because before you look at scheme, you know, winning football 0:03:40.040 --> 0:03:42.280 games comes down to the basic rudiments of the game. 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:45.720 That's blocking, tackling, you know, running your routes to the 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:48.560 correct way, covering the right way, you know, and making 0:03:48.600 --> 0:03:50.400 plays on the ball and all the things that we 0:03:50.480 --> 0:03:53.240 talk to our players about. But there's details that go 0:03:53.280 --> 0:03:56.160 into that, and I think that's that partnership of working 0:03:56.160 --> 0:03:58.160 with that, So that's what I'm most excited about. And 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:01.560 then secondly, obviously improving our schemes, you know, that's obviously 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:03.320 a big part of what we want to do. We 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:05.280 want to learn, you know, and do a better job 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:09.560 in situational ball. Third down defense has to improve, you know, 0:04:09.600 --> 0:04:12.440 the red zone run defense, we need to we need 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:15.040 to get do a better job of two. And then 0:04:15.040 --> 0:04:17.040 on offense, you know, we were getting better in the 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:19.560 passing game, the rhythm and timing that's been improved. But 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:22.000 also let's learn how to you know, close out the 0:04:22.080 --> 0:04:24.400 end of the halves and you know, get you know, 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:26.640 some no huddle going along, you know, in our two 0:04:26.640 --> 0:04:29.280 minute situation to make sure the tempo of that m 0:04:29.600 --> 0:04:32.279 is doing, you know, is functioning the right way. So 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:34.800 we're excited about getting our two minute offense going too. 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:37.000 You've been commended over the course of the season for 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:41.400 adjustments and what's taking place into the second half and 0:04:41.800 --> 0:04:45.680 out of that bye week thirty three twenty nine thirty 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:48.760 two thirty points in those first four games, can we 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:51.520 expect something of that sort? Do you hope here in 0:04:51.560 --> 0:04:53.920 the final four games on either side of the ball, 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:57.080 something significant like that because that has been a commendable 0:04:57.120 --> 0:05:00.240 part of this, even though the record doesn't reflect it. Yeah, 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:02.039 we want we definitely want to see improvement. You know, 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:04.360 when you emphasize something, you know, we want to see 0:05:04.400 --> 0:05:06.200 the fruits of that. So we want to make sure 0:05:06.240 --> 0:05:09.240 that we emphasize we do a good job of detailing 0:05:09.240 --> 0:05:11.240 it up for the players, but also keeping it simple. 0:05:11.320 --> 0:05:12.960 You know, it can't really be, you know, this big 0:05:12.960 --> 0:05:15.240 complex thing. You know, you can get better at two 0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:17.520 or three things on either side of the ball, just 0:05:17.560 --> 0:05:20.080 like an individual does, and if you focus on those, 0:05:20.160 --> 0:05:23.440 good things will happen. Well. Certainly the explosion that is 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:25.760 justin field shows up on the ground and in the air. 0:05:25.800 --> 0:05:28.160 And I think people would probably fail this quiz if 0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:32.360 they were asked who heading into week fourteen was leading 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:34.719 the NFL on explosive plays as a team, and the 0:05:34.760 --> 0:05:38.000 answer would be the Chicago Bears. Does that even surprise 0:05:38.040 --> 0:05:40.479 you a little bit. That's a lot of explosive plays 0:05:40.600 --> 0:05:42.440 on the ground and then through the air, and obviously 0:05:42.480 --> 0:05:45.320 he's a big part of that. Yeah, so obviously he's 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:46.880 he is a big part of that. He's been a 0:05:46.920 --> 0:05:49.279 big part of our offense, and he does that, you know, 0:05:49.400 --> 0:05:53.200 multiple times of game, so it doesn't really surprise me. Again, 0:05:53.240 --> 0:05:55.320 it's hard to defend when you have somebody like that, 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:58.159 you know, running your offense. And he's exciting to watch 0:05:58.320 --> 0:06:01.120 six straight games with fifty year more yards rushing and 0:06:01.160 --> 0:06:04.599 at least one touchdown. That's the longest drink since Gale 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:08.600 Sayers in nineteen sixty nine. And today is the anniversary 0:06:08.760 --> 0:06:12.599 of Gale sayers six touchdown game. And I don't know 0:06:12.600 --> 0:06:14.040 if I ever told you this, but I had an 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:17.400 opportunity in the at House Hall PNC Center to sit 0:06:17.440 --> 0:06:19.920 down with him and break down his six touchdown game 0:06:20.120 --> 0:06:22.520 against the forty nine ers at Wrigley Field in the mud, 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:25.440 and it was one of the most gratifying moments of 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:28.400 my career. But he was darting all over that field 0:06:28.440 --> 0:06:31.159 and the field was muddy for everyone but Gayale Sayers. 0:06:31.240 --> 0:06:33.840 That was the quote from Dick the Great Jack Brickhouse. 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:37.279 The announcer then says, you know, galloping, Gaale carries the mail. 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:39.600 They won fifty four to twenty. It was a rookie 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:44.160 performance of legendary. Note the two play different positions. Justin 0:06:44.279 --> 0:06:46.800 has the same kind of explosion, but that cat he 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:49.679 may have cuts almost midair. Now I'm not saying Justin 0:06:49.720 --> 0:06:53.479 does that, but the explosion of an athlete is so rare. 0:06:54.040 --> 0:06:57.480 They come around once in a generation. Would you agree, Yeah, yeah, 0:06:57.520 --> 0:06:59.600 I wouldn't agree with that. And you know, you get 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:01.760 a chance to see these guys, you know, once every 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:04.120 couple of decades that can move like this and can 0:07:04.160 --> 0:07:08.560 function in weather and different conditions, and it's just the 0:07:08.720 --> 0:07:10.720 you know, it's the god given talent that they're that 0:07:10.760 --> 0:07:13.880 they're blessed with that, the ability to stand on their feet, 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:16.680 the ability to have balanced the ability to accelerate, the 0:07:16.720 --> 0:07:20.280 ability to cut and move. And what's great about it 0:07:20.320 --> 0:07:22.200 is they all move differently. You know, they come in 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:25.280 all different sizes. You know Barry Sanders, you know all 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:28.040 the all the different guys that Gayl Sayre's, Walter Payton, 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:31.120 you know, all the great runners that we've had in 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:34.680 this league. And what's great about it is they're all unique. 0:07:34.720 --> 0:07:37.600 They all got their own style and Justin's no different. 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:40.760 He has his own style and he's certainly exciting to 0:07:40.760 --> 0:07:42.680 watch when he go when he does his thing. One 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:45.200 segment in the books Snap his Back against the poor 0:07:45.240 --> 0:07:47.800 Man Rush Good protection SLINKs it to the left corner 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:49.840 of the end zone, up in the air for the catch, 0:07:50.320 --> 0:07:55.640 darn Old Moody for the touchdown. Touchdown, Bears sixteen yards 0:07:55.680 --> 0:07:59.040 strike from Fields to Moody. Welcome back to the Bears 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:01.960 Coaches Show Jeff Jonny act with Bears head coach Mattiberflus. 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:04.400 Great seats available to see your Chicago Bears this season 0:08:04.800 --> 0:08:07.440 at Soldier Field. Get your tickets at Chicago Bears dot 0:08:07.520 --> 0:08:11.720 com slash tickets Matt Eberflus. Fans are super jacked about 0:08:11.760 --> 0:08:15.480 Justin Fields and an offense that is scoring points. It's 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:18.880 fair to say their excitement is justified. Seven weeks of 0:08:18.920 --> 0:08:21.400 it of late, and four more big games to go. 0:08:21.480 --> 0:08:24.560 We just heard one of Justin's big passing touchdowns to 0:08:24.680 --> 0:08:27.320 Darnell Mooney this season, and that's the elevation part of 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:29.720 the game that we're all keeping an eye on. Certainly 0:08:29.720 --> 0:08:32.480 started to come to form against the Packers. Did you 0:08:32.520 --> 0:08:34.760 see a lot discuss a lot during this bye week 0:08:34.760 --> 0:08:37.120 with your coach is about that aspect of his game. Yeah, 0:08:37.200 --> 0:08:40.280 And we were really pleased with the protection that the 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:43.520 offensive line provided last week to give you know, Justin 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:47.040 that opportunity to really function in the offense. And to 0:08:47.040 --> 0:08:50.560 build a see downfield, you know, with a clean pocket, 0:08:50.720 --> 0:08:52.480 and you know obviously that we want to do that 0:08:52.520 --> 0:08:54.920 every single week. But they're they're to be commended for 0:08:54.960 --> 0:08:58.400 that for sure. But Justin's doing a really good job 0:08:58.400 --> 0:09:02.880 of keeping his shoulders, his platform, everything in the right 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:05.480 spot to be able to deliver the ball down the field. 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:08.120 So he's going to continue to work on that consistency. 0:09:08.160 --> 0:09:10.120 So we can still see we can see more of 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:12.000 that going forward. What do you want to see from 0:09:12.040 --> 0:09:14.959 the offense from the rest of the season to feel 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:18.199 good about twenty twenty three. Now, I know that's a 0:09:18.920 --> 0:09:21.440 big statement to make because you got a month of 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:24.760 games left here and this roster will be different next year, 0:09:24.840 --> 0:09:28.440 But justin fields and the platform and the foundation that's 0:09:28.440 --> 0:09:31.560 being formed here, I know you mentioned the word consistency 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:33.920 a lot with all the questions today from the media 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:37.560 this morning up at hallisaw regarding all all aspects of 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:40.319 the team, is that really it? Well, the most important 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:42.559 thing is our style, you know, the way we play, 0:09:42.640 --> 0:09:44.920 you know, the hits principle is very important to us. 0:09:45.240 --> 0:09:48.480 That's our foundation that we believe in offense, defense and kicking. 0:09:48.480 --> 0:09:49.959 And you can see that you know, and that all 0:09:49.960 --> 0:09:52.280 starts with our running game, you know, the offense. The 0:09:52.360 --> 0:09:56.000 ability to run the football is very important to us defensively. 0:09:56.080 --> 0:09:57.840 Want to see a big jump you know in our 0:09:57.920 --> 0:10:01.240 run defense these next four weeks, to be able to 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:03.320 stop the run. That's one of our big things we 0:10:03.360 --> 0:10:05.840 need to work on, you know. And then obviously protecting 0:10:05.880 --> 0:10:07.040 the ball. You know, we got to do a great 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:09.880 job protecting the ball, not only in the first three quarters, 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:11.640 but also during two minutes. You know, we got to 0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:14.560 do a better job of finishing games. And us protecting 0:10:14.600 --> 0:10:16.240 the ball and be able to operate in a two 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:19.160 minute offense is going to be very important to our 0:10:19.200 --> 0:10:22.760 success going forward. And there are two minute defense you know, 0:10:22.800 --> 0:10:24.679 to be able to stop you know, people two field 0:10:24.679 --> 0:10:26.920 goals or holding the zero points in a two minute drive, 0:10:27.440 --> 0:10:28.760 you know, and get a four and out or a 0:10:28.760 --> 0:10:31.520 takeaway to end the game. That's something we would like 0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:34.280 to see also. But so again, that whole thing about 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:37.040 finishing that is a team that is a team goal. 0:10:37.120 --> 0:10:39.520 It's a team thing that we want to really accomplish 0:10:39.559 --> 0:10:43.120 here going forward and certainly improve on as we meet 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:46.120 these really good opponents coming up here in the coming weeks. 0:10:46.200 --> 0:10:50.200 These opponents, in my opinions, serve as a great benefit 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:53.960 to you as a head coach and this football team. Again, 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:56.960 regardless of who's here who's not in next season, but 0:10:57.240 --> 0:10:59.480 you got four games against teams that have a lot 0:10:59.520 --> 0:11:02.080 to play for, including two big dogs right now back 0:11:02.080 --> 0:11:06.120 to back. Can you create a playoff atmosphere in your 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:10.720 building for these final four games and just hey, whatever's happens, happen, 0:11:11.240 --> 0:11:13.840 who can we be here in these next four weeks? 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:16.520 Is that possible? Can you create that? Well? I think 0:11:16.520 --> 0:11:19.560 the guys that are exciting excited about this opportunity to 0:11:19.600 --> 0:11:22.560 play these teams of these of this caliber, and it 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:24.920 all starts with Philadelphia Eagles, the best team in football 0:11:25.000 --> 0:11:27.400 right now at twelve and one, and uh, you know, 0:11:27.440 --> 0:11:29.280 it's going to be a big challenge for us, and 0:11:29.320 --> 0:11:31.320 we'll see if we can operate and do a great 0:11:31.400 --> 0:11:33.720 job with just you know, staying in the moment, you know, 0:11:33.840 --> 0:11:35.920 and played in one play at a time, you know, 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:39.200 like we always say, and be able to function, you know, 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:40.760 at a high rate and be able to execute at 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:43.520 a high rate against this good opponent. There will be, 0:11:43.600 --> 0:11:46.600 no doubt, a lot of discussion comparative contrast articles. The 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:50.400 media will be working there their tails off on Josh Allen, 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:54.400 Jalen Hurts their first two years, the comparative analysis, the 0:11:54.480 --> 0:11:56.640 Justin fields in his first two years, and then each 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:59.360 of these guys taking off in their third years. Is 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.839 there something to that? Yeah, I think there is. You know, 0:12:01.920 --> 0:12:04.320 there's these young quarterbacks develop at a certain you know, 0:12:04.440 --> 0:12:06.280 a certain time. They're all different, they all have a 0:12:06.280 --> 0:12:09.199 bunch of different skill sets. Uh, they're you know, they're like, 0:12:09.480 --> 0:12:11.280 there're a lot alike in a lot of ways, but 0:12:11.320 --> 0:12:14.200 they're also different in a lot of ways too, you know, 0:12:14.240 --> 0:12:17.840 and Justin's journey is different than Josh is different than Jalen's. 0:12:17.880 --> 0:12:19.839 It's it's his own journey and he's going to develop 0:12:19.880 --> 0:12:23.120 at his own rate. And again, the pieces around those 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:26.280 players are different, and that certainly does, you know, make 0:12:26.320 --> 0:12:29.800 a difference. Um, but we're certainly excited where Justin is 0:12:29.800 --> 0:12:33.560 and where his future is. Well. These opponents also give 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:37.880 you some help in just further scheme development, the individual development, 0:12:37.920 --> 0:12:41.079 and the competitive aspect of things, because you know, you 0:12:41.160 --> 0:12:43.080 got a lot of young players going up against some 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:45.840 some really impressive talent here. Oh I think that's good, 0:12:45.960 --> 0:12:47.959 I really do you can really you know, see where 0:12:47.960 --> 0:12:50.439 everybody is. You know, I think it's a great evaluation 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:53.200 for all of our guys. And uh, I think the 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:55.200 guys are excited about going against some of the best 0:12:55.200 --> 0:12:57.640 players in the league. You know, these teams have really 0:12:57.640 --> 0:13:00.280 strong rosters and they got some really good skill. You know, 0:13:00.280 --> 0:13:04.199 their top ten players are really good players at all positions. 0:13:04.240 --> 0:13:06.480 And that's why they're good football teams, you know, because 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:09.720 they have those top ten players at each position, and 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:13.240 the guys are excited about the challenge. Lance throws picked 0:13:13.280 --> 0:13:15.520 up Eddie Jackson's got it up with it at the 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:19.000 forty thirty five thirty Eddie Jackson, it'side the twenty five 0:13:19.080 --> 0:13:22.280 yard line and down here the twenty two. It's been 0:13:22.360 --> 0:13:25.600 thirty one game since Eddie Jackson had a pick. Four 0:13:25.679 --> 0:13:28.800 man rush pressure coming, trapping him up and bringing him 0:13:28.880 --> 0:13:33.439 down Downey goes. Dominique Robinson, a rookie out of Miami, Ohio, 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:37.880 sacks Trey Lance on thirty eight calling out. Bears fans 0:13:37.880 --> 0:13:41.080 get the Ultimate VIP fan package for Chicago Bears. VIP 0:13:41.240 --> 0:13:43.680 secure a game ticket and appearance from Bears legends and 0:13:43.720 --> 0:13:47.120 more by visiting Chicago Bears VIP dot com Welcome back 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:49.760 to the Bears Coaches Show with head coach Mattyberflus. Just 0:13:49.800 --> 0:13:52.400 here at a couple of early season highlights. Eddie Jackson 0:13:52.440 --> 0:13:55.520 an interception, Dominie Robinson sack, some of the things you're 0:13:55.559 --> 0:13:58.600 looking a lot more of from your defense here in 0:13:58.640 --> 0:14:01.960 the final part of this sea and injuries and other 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:05.640 situations defensively have certainly cropped up and put a big 0:14:05.720 --> 0:14:09.160 challenge on your unit overall. But these are things you're 0:14:09.200 --> 0:14:13.320 going to preach from the until the cows come home, buddy, right, yeah, yeah, 0:14:13.360 --> 0:14:15.880 that's right, you know, and really we uh, you know, 0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:17.959 we hold ourselves to a high standard, you know, and 0:14:18.040 --> 0:14:20.840 that high standard is the ability to hustle every single play, 0:14:21.680 --> 0:14:23.560 the ability to have a strip attempt, you know, on 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:27.080 every single play, and uh, you know, to cause takeaways 0:14:27.080 --> 0:14:29.120 you know, during the course of the year. So you know, 0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:31.160 we fell short, you know, last few weeks of that, 0:14:31.280 --> 0:14:33.920 and we're looking to get that thing going here, um 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:36.400 these last four weeks. But uh, you know, as you 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:39.200 just heard on the radio, there, you know Eddie Jackson's interception, 0:14:39.240 --> 0:14:41.480 you know, he's got he had four interceptions. Obviously, losing 0:14:41.560 --> 0:14:43.360 him is a big part of that he's a big 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:46.800 ballhawk guy that creates a lot of takeaways himself. But 0:14:47.480 --> 0:14:49.520 he certainly has the knack for that and has great 0:14:49.520 --> 0:14:51.800 concentration and he does a really good job in a 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:53.800 deep part of the field. I had forgotten this looking 0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:56.800 up some statistics on Dominique and that he had seven 0:14:56.800 --> 0:14:59.760 tackles in that first game, in his first NFL game. 0:14:59.800 --> 0:15:02.000 It's at your field. Now. The track was what it was, 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:05.840 It was rainy, wet, all that business. But you mentioned 0:15:05.840 --> 0:15:08.280 a week ago you felt that there was major improvement 0:15:08.320 --> 0:15:12.520 against the Packers. Uh. He talks about owning his other gap. 0:15:12.720 --> 0:15:15.440 He says, he does all right owning the first gap. 0:15:15.520 --> 0:15:17.800 It's the need to improve the second gap. And he 0:15:17.840 --> 0:15:20.400 tends to play too high as he nailed it. And 0:15:20.480 --> 0:15:24.800 what is he referring to with owning two gaps? Yeah, 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:26.680 so we call that gap and a half, so meaning 0:15:26.720 --> 0:15:28.840 that if the guy's playing outside shade of the tackle 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:31.320 and he's the defensive end, you know he owns that 0:15:31.440 --> 0:15:33.720 C gap. But if the ball gets run into the 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:35.960 B gap. Once the ball that clears in there, he 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:39.000 can he can shut off and play the B gap 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:40.600 as well. We call that gap and a half. So 0:15:40.640 --> 0:15:43.040 you own your gap. The first gap is the C gap. 0:15:43.280 --> 0:15:45.200 The half gap is the B gap. Once the ball 0:15:45.200 --> 0:15:47.080 declares in there, he can shed and make a tackle 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:49.800 in that gap. So that's what he's talking to. UM. 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:52.880 You know, defense line away always need to play lower. UM. 0:15:53.000 --> 0:15:55.080 You know, he you know, we talked about his hustle. 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:57.480 He's been really good at hustling um, you know, the 0:15:57.480 --> 0:16:00.560 whole year and given the second effort, and he has 0:16:00.560 --> 0:16:02.560 a high standard for that and it hasn't been where 0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:05.040 he wants it to be. But he certainly improved that 0:16:05.120 --> 0:16:07.120 last week and we look for him to keep improving 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:09.680 that in the coming weeks. Is there a common denominator 0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:12.400 with young player, especially rookies, and and in his case, 0:16:12.640 --> 0:16:16.080 particularly because he hasn't played the position for an entirety 0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:20.480 of his life that hustle plays and all that kick 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:24.120 in because they're either thinking too much on the field 0:16:24.400 --> 0:16:27.640 or maybe feeling a little defeated at their lack of 0:16:27.680 --> 0:16:31.160 success on a down to down situation. I mean, what 0:16:31.560 --> 0:16:34.560 is the common denominator with situations like that? Yeah? I 0:16:34.560 --> 0:16:37.920 would just say that he's you know, working to be consistent. 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:39.280 You know, I know, I know that a lot of 0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:42.720 times rookies go through this rookie wall around Thanksgiving and 0:16:42.720 --> 0:16:44.640 that that is real. You know, some guys do go 0:16:44.720 --> 0:16:47.880 through that. But I think Dominic's strong enough mentally to 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:49.960 push through, you know, and to do a really good 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:52.160 job coming up here in the next four weeks and uh, 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:54.760 you know, we'll see where he goes. And we expected 0:16:54.840 --> 0:16:56.840 him to get some He was really close to hitting 0:16:56.880 --> 0:16:58.920 the quarterback last week. You know, he was in his 0:16:58.960 --> 0:17:02.240 past rush moves. We showed him those couple opportunities that 0:17:02.280 --> 0:17:04.119 he had. He just really needed to be a little 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:06.200 bit stronger at the top of his rush and stepped through, 0:17:06.720 --> 0:17:10.240 and he's gonna get some hits on the quarterback Jack Sanborn. 0:17:10.560 --> 0:17:12.360 When you think about it, he opened the season as 0:17:12.359 --> 0:17:15.200 the fifth linebacker. You knew he would play special teams 0:17:15.240 --> 0:17:18.360 if he made the football team. But the instincts are 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:20.720 just popping all over the place. He's getting a lot 0:17:20.760 --> 0:17:23.439 of inc a lot of discussion. People are thrilled with 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:27.320 this guy. Double digit tackles now three times in four games. 0:17:27.840 --> 0:17:30.520 Roquan did it six times as a twenty eighteen rookie. 0:17:30.520 --> 0:17:33.040 So he's got a chance to nail that. He's got. 0:17:33.080 --> 0:17:35.520 He's up to fifty nine tackles, five tackles for lost, 0:17:35.560 --> 0:17:39.480 two sacks, three quarterback hits, a fumble recovery, and all 0:17:39.480 --> 0:17:42.919 those special teams tackles. We mentioned it last week. He's 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:46.080 a revelation, but maybe not a surprise. And you forgot 0:17:46.080 --> 0:17:50.360 the interception taken away from him. But and a partridge 0:17:50.359 --> 0:17:53.760 in a pair of tree here in this holiday season, Matt, Yes, yeah, exactly. No, 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:56.760 he's been really good, and he's got really good instincts 0:17:56.800 --> 0:18:01.000 for the ball and more importantly, hustles. This guy plays hard. Um, 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:04.600 He's he's very instinctual. You know, He's does a really 0:18:04.600 --> 0:18:06.600 good job of working to the ball. He can read 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:08.919 his keys really fast. I think that's very helpful for 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:11.520 a linebacker. You know. The biggest thing we talked to 0:18:11.560 --> 0:18:13.879 our linebackers about, and this is going to sound elementary, 0:18:13.920 --> 0:18:16.679 but it's hit the ball. As a linebacker in the 0:18:16.720 --> 0:18:18.680 middle part of the defense, you should hit the ball. 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:21.080 So you should you should get the TFLs, you should 0:18:21.080 --> 0:18:23.160 get the sacks, you should get the interceptions, you should 0:18:23.200 --> 0:18:25.879 get the cost fumbles, the recovered fumbles because you're in 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:28.600 the middle of the defense and the Chicago Bear fans 0:18:28.640 --> 0:18:31.800 are no you know, it's it's they're very familiar with 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:34.879 this position because of the greats we've had at that 0:18:34.960 --> 0:18:37.840 position at the Chicago Bears. And uh, you know, we 0:18:37.920 --> 0:18:40.800 certainly want instinctual linebackers that hit the ball. Oh, Bailey's 0:18:41.600 --> 0:18:46.359 intercepted tider Garden down the right side thirty twenty ten. 0:18:46.480 --> 0:18:49.360 Then shut that down back to throw Mac Jones. Here 0:18:49.400 --> 0:18:52.439 comes a little pressure throws down the fields. Scared out 0:18:52.480 --> 0:18:57.280 of the air, Bark Rusker, what an interception? What up 0:18:57.359 --> 0:19:01.200