WEBVTT - Matt Eberflus on overcoming injuries | Coaches Show Podcast 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.240 And a good Monday evening to you all. It's time 0:00:02.240 --> 0:00:04.519 for the Bears Coaching Show with head coach Matt Eberflus 0:00:04.600 --> 0:00:06.840 Jeff Jonich with you at eight o'clock here tonight on 0:00:06.880 --> 0:00:09.440 news radio one oh five nine w BBM. We got 0:00:09.560 --> 0:00:13.280 Monday Night Football Join in progress at eight on seven 0:00:13.360 --> 0:00:15.280 eighty am. The news will continue on one oh five 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:18.599 nine FM. Long before we get there, let's begin. Matt, 0:00:18.640 --> 0:00:21.279 how you done doing well? How are you? I'm doing fine? Uh. 0:00:21.360 --> 0:00:24.000 This team is banged up to say the least. Yeah, 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:27.240 I mean we had some some injuries yesterday at MetLife 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:29.880 and uh, you know, we'll be searching through those and 0:00:29.920 --> 0:00:31.560 working through us with the doctors here in the next 0:00:31.560 --> 0:00:34.400 forty eight hours. We'll see where it is. Obviously, you know, 0:00:34.440 --> 0:00:37.880 we lost Mooney for the year, you know, with an ankle, 0:00:38.120 --> 0:00:40.520 you know, so we'll we'll go from there with him. 0:00:40.560 --> 0:00:42.600 And again I talked to him. You know, he's a 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:45.720 little bit down, but he's uh still here with the 0:00:45.720 --> 0:00:48.080 team and he's gonna be around with us and and 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:50.120 we'll see where it goes from there. But what a 0:00:50.159 --> 0:00:52.239 great year he had. I mean he started to really 0:00:52.240 --> 0:00:54.720 get a good spark with Justin and uh did an 0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:57.800 excellent job blocking on the perimeter and he actually got 0:00:57.800 --> 0:00:59.960 he got injured on the one where you know Montgomer. 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:01.760 He end up punching it out of there from the 0:01:01.800 --> 0:01:04.240 minus one. Did a really nice job. It was just 0:01:04.319 --> 0:01:07.280 unfortunately was blocking his guy and went to tackle Montgomery 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:08.920 and swung around and kind of hit him in the leg. 0:01:09.040 --> 0:01:12.160 But again, what a great job he did, and more importantly, 0:01:12.160 --> 0:01:14.080 what a teammate he is. He's a great teammate, what 0:01:14.200 --> 0:01:18.720 great leadership from him. But we're excited about his future. Yeah, 0:01:18.760 --> 0:01:21.120 I just talked to him last week just about the future, 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:24.480 you know, and the patients involved with an offense that 0:01:24.640 --> 0:01:27.120 wants to run the ball and what is asked of him, 0:01:27.160 --> 0:01:29.680 and he embraced it. But he was just really optimistic 0:01:29.720 --> 0:01:32.319 about where Justin's headed, where the offense has headed. So 0:01:32.720 --> 0:01:34.840 that's always a blow late in that season. How do 0:01:34.880 --> 0:01:37.440 you talk a guy down off of that. He's pretty 0:01:37.480 --> 0:01:41.120 pragmatic guy in general though, So yeah, he's always upbeating positive. 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.720 You know, he's that by nature, and you know he's 0:01:44.080 --> 0:01:46.560 always going to be a good teammate. Again, it'll take 0:01:46.600 --> 0:01:48.640 some rehab and all those things, you know, getting through that, 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:50.440 but he'll be ready to go here shortly. You know, 0:01:50.560 --> 0:01:52.600 tight ends get rolled up on a lot. We used 0:01:52.600 --> 0:01:54.920 to say more man hours lost at the tight end 0:01:54.960 --> 0:01:57.320 position than any other. That has since kind of changed 0:01:57.360 --> 0:01:59.760 in the league. They become more athletic where they're more 0:01:59.760 --> 0:02:03.120 in line blockers before offensive lineman. Get it, but it's 0:02:03.320 --> 0:02:05.840 kind of rare that receivers are asked to do as 0:02:05.920 --> 0:02:09.160 much blocking in this situation. It is an occupational hazard, 0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:11.200 isn't it when because you get rolled up on, there's 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:13.560 no way that you know what's coming. Yeah. Yeah, you 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:15.799 just gotta be mindful of it and hopefully be able 0:02:15.800 --> 0:02:18.040 to keep your feet moving as the traffic comes to 0:02:18.080 --> 0:02:20.040 you and h and do your best. All right, let's 0:02:20.040 --> 0:02:23.240 talk about the quarterback situation yesterday close to kickoff. Rare 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:25.160 occurrence even for you, right, Yeah, it was kind of 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.040 a weird deal. You know, Trevor is out there, you know, 0:02:27.080 --> 0:02:29.440 before the pregame warm up, end up straining as oblique 0:02:29.440 --> 0:02:31.960 and then comes in and you know, says, hey, let 0:02:31.960 --> 0:02:34.720 me get some medication and seel I feel, and you 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:36.840 know potentially Nate was gonna, you know, could step in 0:02:36.880 --> 0:02:38.480 there for that role. He was ready to do that, 0:02:38.560 --> 0:02:40.799 but it worked out good. He went out to warm 0:02:40.840 --> 0:02:43.320 ups and he threw the ball fine, and Trevor did 0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:46.200 of course, and then he end up, you know, going 0:02:46.320 --> 0:02:48.400 and it's scoring ten points in his first two drives 0:02:48.400 --> 0:02:51.760 and against a really good defense. After the aim, he 0:02:51.760 --> 0:02:55.560 said he was almost embarrassed that had happened, but again, 0:02:55.639 --> 0:02:58.040 these things do happen, and if you can find a 0:02:58.080 --> 0:03:00.440 way to plow through it, which he did, you know, 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:03.360 and no apology necessary, right, I mean, now, he prepared 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:05.480 well all week, and he did a really good job 0:03:06.320 --> 0:03:08.200 the entire week, you know, because you know, obviously we 0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:09.919 didn't know what was going to happen with Justin during 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:12.280 the week, and we had to play it by air, 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:13.840 so we had to do a lot of mental preparation 0:03:13.880 --> 0:03:16.040 as well. All Right, how do you think that coaching 0:03:16.040 --> 0:03:18.720 staff handle this because you had to have plans? No, 0:03:18.800 --> 0:03:20.320 I think it was good. You know, like I said 0:03:20.720 --> 0:03:22.960 during the press conferences last week, you know, we just 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:25.639 really needed to you know, set you know, things aside 0:03:25.639 --> 0:03:28.080 for Trevor and then for Justin. You know, Justin obviously 0:03:28.160 --> 0:03:30.640 is a unique player in a lot of ways and 0:03:30.720 --> 0:03:32.040 can do a lot of different things that a lot 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:35.000 of players can't do. And but we have a system. 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:37.880 We have a system in place that we can adjustin 0:03:38.000 --> 0:03:42.280 adapt and move based on who the quarterback is. And 0:03:42.320 --> 0:03:44.320 that's easily done. And I thought, guess you did a 0:03:44.360 --> 0:03:46.400 nice job of that, along with you know, the rest 0:03:46.440 --> 0:03:48.520 of the staff before we get into the details of 0:03:48.600 --> 0:03:51.240 the game. Throughout the rest of this hour, losing his 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:54.440 difficult period. If you can separate this for me, and 0:03:54.480 --> 0:03:57.440 maybe you can't, but from a player perspective, how do 0:03:57.480 --> 0:04:00.760 you handle that? And from your own self? Yeah, I 0:04:00.760 --> 0:04:02.480 mean I think it goes back to the to the 0:04:02.520 --> 0:04:04.280 mantra we've been setting, you know, even but again of 0:04:04.280 --> 0:04:05.880 the year when we won our first game, you know, 0:04:05.920 --> 0:04:07.800 then we end up you know, beat Houston and all 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:09.480 those things. It's the same thing when you go on 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:12.360 a winning streak. It's the same exact message that you know, 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:14.760 the performance is the performance. You know, it's over if 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:17.320 you win by three or you know, or you lose 0:04:17.320 --> 0:04:19.960 buy three. Um, it's always the same. You got to 0:04:19.960 --> 0:04:21.760 look at it the same. How can I get better 0:04:22.080 --> 0:04:24.560 and how can I keep doing the things that I 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.240 need to I've been doing well and I think that's 0:04:27.240 --> 0:04:29.839 all you gotta do. Um. For players and coaches and 0:04:29.839 --> 0:04:32.640 it's a partnership, you know. So that's what's nice about 0:04:32.680 --> 0:04:35.600 our player coach partnership is that those they're in it together, 0:04:35.800 --> 0:04:37.839 you know. So if a player plays well, you know, 0:04:37.880 --> 0:04:39.840 coach did a good job. If a player needs to improve, 0:04:40.040 --> 0:04:42.040 coach needs to help him improve. So he's always got 0:04:42.080 --> 0:04:45.640 that partner with him. You have to represent in a 0:04:45.760 --> 0:04:48.039 very specific way as head coach, as the CEO of 0:04:48.080 --> 0:04:52.239 the football team. At a private level, is just eating 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:55.280 you up. Well, I mean, obviously losing is you know, 0:04:55.440 --> 0:04:57.360 it doesn't no good. You know, obviously you want to win. 0:04:57.400 --> 0:04:59.279 You're in it's a win business. You know, this is 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:01.840 a this is a business that you're you're judged by 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:04.560 wins and losses. And but we're building from a young 0:05:04.600 --> 0:05:07.600 football team. You know, we're building. This is not rebuilding. 0:05:07.600 --> 0:05:09.960 We're building a team. And that's that's the big difference 0:05:09.960 --> 0:05:12.839 that people have to understand. And we're excited about the 0:05:12.839 --> 0:05:15.479 foundation that we're laying and it's going to be really 0:05:15.480 --> 0:05:17.640 good for the future because you know, these players are 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:19.000 going to be here in the future and they're going 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:21.679 to know the foundation and the standards of which we operate, 0:05:21.880 --> 0:05:23.159 and they're gonna be able to teach it to the 0:05:23.200 --> 0:05:25.840 younger guys and the new acquisitions we bring in as 0:05:25.880 --> 0:05:28.800 we go along with this process. How do you convey 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:31.159 a message that, you know, when you're getting guys off 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:33.720 that you know you're playing everybody, that they feel like 0:05:33.880 --> 0:05:36.320 there's their support there because they're running out of body 0:05:36.360 --> 0:05:38.599 so to speak. And even now for the final five games, 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:40.960 they don't know that could be new guys coming into 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:43.960 the mix, you know, out of need and necessity. Yeah, 0:05:44.000 --> 0:05:45.359 I would just say that we need to do a 0:05:45.360 --> 0:05:47.359 better job in the second half when guys do go 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:50.440 down of guys stepping in and operating, you know, because 0:05:50.480 --> 0:05:52.360 we had to you know a Mooney goes down, Eddy 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:55.560 goes down, Riley goes down. It was pretty early. But 0:05:55.880 --> 0:05:57.840 when guys step into that role, they have to do 0:05:57.920 --> 0:05:59.720 a good job. Are operating. What does that mean? That 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:03.120 means getting your alignment, your assignment down. That's a pre snap. 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:05.480 You know, know your job, do your job, so to speak. 0:06:05.520 --> 0:06:07.520 And we got to do a good job with that 0:06:07.720 --> 0:06:10.200 at all levels, you know, offense, defense and kicking. And 0:06:10.240 --> 0:06:11.440 I think we need to do a better job of 0:06:11.520 --> 0:06:13.719 that in the second half. We'll touch on it later. 0:06:13.760 --> 0:06:17.440 But just for people joining the show just now. The 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:21.320 strategy now continues to be the same with Justin this 0:06:21.400 --> 0:06:23.320 week right as it was last week. Yes, it's a 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:25.520 day to day and we'll see where he is. Like 0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:27.320 again I said at the podium after the game, it's 0:06:27.360 --> 0:06:30.840 about mobility and strength. And when he has the mobility 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:33.160 and the strength and that left arm that he feels 0:06:33.240 --> 0:06:35.640 in the medical staff feels that he can perform at 0:06:35.640 --> 0:06:38.720 a high level and perform the way he wants to 0:06:38.760 --> 0:06:40.800 perform and the way we think he can perform, then 0:06:40.839 --> 0:06:43.240 it's a green light and then it will be so. 0:06:43.440 --> 0:06:46.240 But until that point, we're gonna it'll be day to day. 0:06:46.320 --> 0:06:48.160 Before the game, I always ask you the name of 0:06:48.200 --> 0:06:50.480 the game, and yesterday was which team was going to 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:52.880 run the ball better and take the ball away? Right? Yeah, 0:06:52.920 --> 0:06:54.040 you know, at the end of the day we ended 0:06:54.080 --> 0:06:55.840 up there was it was twelve carries for I think 0:06:55.839 --> 0:06:57.800 we're twenty six yards in the first half and they 0:06:57.880 --> 0:06:59.680 end up running the ball on us in the second half. 0:07:00.200 --> 0:07:02.960 You know, the takeaways, you know, we're really you know, 0:07:03.000 --> 0:07:04.560 we had one at the end. It was pretty even 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:06.080 right there, but they end up running the ball a 0:07:06.080 --> 0:07:08.000 little bit better than we did so, but again I 0:07:08.040 --> 0:07:09.640 thought we run the ball p really well. Pretty well. 0:07:09.640 --> 0:07:11.200 I think monkgo we ran the ball. He saw a 0:07:11.240 --> 0:07:14.160 lot of nice runs by him. The offensive line did 0:07:14.160 --> 0:07:16.600 a really nice job in that regard nap to Simeon, 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:19.480 clean pocket throws back of the end zone, fighting for 0:07:19.600 --> 0:07:24.400 the ball, Pringle or read hit Pringle for the touchdown 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:27.960 over the middle bandling with the cornerback. How a laser 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:31.200 throw by Trevor Simmeyon a four yard touchdown and the 0:07:31.280 --> 0:07:33.600 Bears are taking the lay down the Jets. Welcome back 0:07:33.640 --> 0:07:36.480 to the Bears Coaching Show with Jeff Joniac. It's Bears 0:07:36.520 --> 0:07:40.040 head coach Matt Eberflus breaking down the Bears and Jets 0:07:40.040 --> 0:07:43.120 from yesterday. Just heard the touchdown Byron Pringle. Break it 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:45.520 down for me from Trevor Simeon. No, that was that 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:47.800 was a good drive. You know, the first two drives there. 0:07:47.840 --> 0:07:50.880 We had a couple of explosives you know to the halfbacks, 0:07:50.880 --> 0:07:53.120 you know, and check downs. That was really good. Obviously 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:56.520 the big fade to Claypool that was a nice play 0:07:57.080 --> 0:07:59.440 where he caught the ball. And then obviously going into 0:07:59.440 --> 0:08:01.920 the second order the play you're talking about, we just 0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:04.760 we just heard was you know the Pringle catch and 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:07.800 what a really nice catch by him. Um I thought 0:08:07.800 --> 0:08:10.800 it was a good design um by getsy down there 0:08:10.840 --> 0:08:13.520 in the red zone. It was an inbreaker towards the 0:08:13.520 --> 0:08:16.280 middle post, and Simeon had some pressure on his right 0:08:16.320 --> 0:08:18.640 side and he ended up ended up delivering the ball 0:08:18.920 --> 0:08:21.840 and Pringle made an outstanding catch. It was basically off 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:23.680 the guy's helmet, you know, end up taking it in 0:08:24.080 --> 0:08:26.600 being strong at the catch point and uh just you know, 0:08:26.920 --> 0:08:29.840 not being denied at that moment. Reid doesn't give up touchdowns. 0:08:29.960 --> 0:08:32.200 It was the first touchdown against him, an over eight 0:08:32.360 --> 0:08:35.599 hundred and fifty snaps pass coverage snaps, which is a 0:08:35.640 --> 0:08:39.400 lot which a lot get catched by him. Yeah, exactly, Yeah, right, 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:42.840 good catch. Indeed, let's talk about David Montgomery back to 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:44.880 back one hundred yard from scrimmage games now, and he 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:48.520 actually passed Mike Ditka for eleventh on the Bears all 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:51.400 time yard from scrimmage list with forty five hundred and 0:08:51.440 --> 0:08:54.240 fifty yards in his career. So anytime you could pass 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:56.760 a Hall of Famer, no matter if coach didn't get 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:59.080 the ball as much as today's tight ends. But that's 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:01.320 pretty dog on onto here. It's good. It's good. It's 0:09:01.360 --> 0:09:03.920 good company too. You know a coach Dick is outstanding. 0:09:03.960 --> 0:09:06.400 But you know, for Goovery to be able to do that, 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:09.760 that's that's that's certainly an accomplishment. But he's been running 0:09:09.800 --> 0:09:12.000 hard all year. You know, he breaks a lot of tackles, 0:09:12.600 --> 0:09:15.240 and he runs with a purpose and he's always knocking 0:09:15.240 --> 0:09:17.920 it forward. So he's uh, pretty special that way, and 0:09:17.960 --> 0:09:19.520 he was doing it in the fourth quarter when things 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:21.840 seemingly we're getting out of hand down twenty one, he's 0:09:21.880 --> 0:09:24.240 still doing it. Yeah, it's just that's that's his that's 0:09:24.280 --> 0:09:26.679 who he is. Yeah, he's got great fight and great determination. 0:09:26.760 --> 0:09:30.200 And then with his hands. I think we doubled yesterday. 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:32.120 Then out on an average like two and a half 0:09:32.200 --> 0:09:35.360 catches a game to the Backs, But yesterday was you 0:09:35.400 --> 0:09:39.240 know double that could that be um something the future 0:09:39.280 --> 0:09:41.960 that maybe we'll enhance the offense. Yeah, I think you know, 0:09:42.000 --> 0:09:44.200 Justin said, you know has talked about that in the past, 0:09:44.240 --> 0:09:45.959 you know about check you know, taking the check downs. 0:09:45.960 --> 0:09:48.040 You know we did it, uh, you know in really 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:50.240 good fashion. There. We had man free coverage. We dumped 0:09:50.240 --> 0:09:51.600 it out you know, down to d there and he 0:09:51.600 --> 0:09:54.160 did a nice shout of taking it down there. So, um, 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:57.160 the one was also man coverage. It was quarters coverage, 0:09:57.559 --> 0:10:00.200 which basically man on the backside the one that Montgomery had. 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:03.280 But uh, it was both great catches and both great 0:10:03.360 --> 0:10:05.880 runs afterward. Yeah, and you know about Darrenton Evans too, 0:10:06.160 --> 0:10:08.600 darn Sevins. That was man coverage for sure. Twenty six 0:10:08.720 --> 0:10:11.040 yard pass that was first drive of the game. Chase 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:15.400 Claypool two for fifty one. Again sean exactly what he's 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:18.360 equipped to do. Those fifty fifty balls, attempted fade in 0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:20.640 the end zone with Sauce Garden around him. Those are 0:10:20.679 --> 0:10:23.320 fun fun plays to see. Yeah, and uh, it's a 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:25.240 it's a good matchup. You know, it doesn't matter who's 0:10:25.240 --> 0:10:26.959 covered him because he's such a big body. You know, 0:10:26.960 --> 0:10:28.760 we always say those guys are always open, you know, 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:31.160 because of how big their catch radius is. And uh, 0:10:31.240 --> 0:10:32.960 you know when you throw the fade or the back 0:10:33.000 --> 0:10:35.679 shoulder fade right there. Um, it was are heart of 0:10:35.760 --> 0:10:37.840 defend for sure, and he did a nice job come 0:10:37.960 --> 0:10:40.599 up with the catch. Let's talk defense. Um four or 0:10:40.640 --> 0:10:43.960 sixty six yards of offense by the Jets. That was 0:10:43.960 --> 0:10:48.119 the most surrendered this season. What was the big takeaway 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:50.559 from you after watching the table, Yeah, I would cause that, yeah, 0:10:50.559 --> 0:10:52.160 I would just say that, you know, in the first 0:10:52.160 --> 0:10:54.040 half was more of the passing, you know. You know, 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:55.640 we end up getting up some big passes. I think 0:10:55.640 --> 0:10:57.640 it was almost a hunt yards and two passes, you know, 0:10:57.720 --> 0:10:59.880 one was you know, over the both were over the 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:02.920 yea one was the one Eddie got hurt on um. 0:11:03.000 --> 0:11:04.959 So we just got to do a better job of tackling. 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:07.439 You know, I'm keeping a little single limited. One of 0:11:07.480 --> 0:11:09.120 them was on third down. I think we're in two 0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:12.160 man and then uh, Eddie came up and shoulder tackled 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:13.559 the guide. He bounced off of him. He's got to 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:15.760 wrap that up. And then the second one was just 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:18.440 an incut deep incut, which I think Matt Adams had 0:11:18.480 --> 0:11:21.760 a chance to pick that play. He just just missed 0:11:21.800 --> 0:11:23.839 it and he's just got to rise up and catch that. 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:26.679 And again that's when Eddie hurt his foot, so we 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:28.480 lost our middle of field safety and they end up 0:11:28.559 --> 0:11:30.640 running all the way in for that one. But so 0:11:30.800 --> 0:11:33.199 two plays, right, there's one hundred yards of offense. But 0:11:34.120 --> 0:11:35.880 but again, overall in the second half, we have to 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:37.720 do a better job tackling. You know, we didn't tackle 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:39.880 really well when they ran the ball again, I think 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:41.719 they ran the ball thirty two times. I want to 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:44.240 say they ran at twelve in the in the first half. 0:11:45.080 --> 0:11:46.240 So we just needed to do a better job with 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:48.800 our fundamentals and tackling and angles and cupping the ball 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:51.360 and doing it the right way. Yeah. I was asked 0:11:51.400 --> 0:11:54.440 this last night, you know, because once the tackling thing 0:11:54.520 --> 0:11:58.440 becomes a topic, it's hard to tell people. How are 0:11:58.440 --> 0:12:00.880 they going to fix that in practice? Well, I said, 0:12:00.960 --> 0:12:03.559 Mattie Buflus and his staff don't let these things just 0:12:03.800 --> 0:12:06.319 go away. They'll go back to the fundamental teaching of 0:12:06.600 --> 0:12:10.559 what they want specifics. And is that simply the way 0:12:10.640 --> 0:12:12.520 it is? Yeah, just I mean, if you watch all 0:12:12.520 --> 0:12:15.040 the tackle just there, we're tackling too high. You know, 0:12:15.160 --> 0:12:18.000 we're a low tackling team. We call a hamstring tackle 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:21.000 where we grabbed the hamstrings, pull them in and our 0:12:21.120 --> 0:12:23.280 top of our shoulder pads are at waist level or below, 0:12:23.880 --> 0:12:25.520 and we were on our feet for three yard steps. 0:12:25.600 --> 0:12:29.840 And yesterday during that game, for whatever reason, we were 0:12:29.880 --> 0:12:32.079 tackling higher and we kept stressing the guys on the 0:12:32.120 --> 0:12:34.800 sideline and I know they have smaller backs, you know, 0:12:34.880 --> 0:12:36.920 in there, and I know that Sambourne is really tackling 0:12:37.000 --> 0:12:38.800 them high a couple of times and running them and 0:12:38.880 --> 0:12:41.280 putting them back on his back. But at the end 0:12:41.280 --> 0:12:43.400 of the day, that's gonna get you in trouble because 0:12:43.679 --> 0:12:45.559 you gotta take a man's legs away when you tackle, 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:47.599 and you gotta tackle them below. Back to throwing a 0:12:47.640 --> 0:12:49.719 poor man a rush throws out to the outside, not 0:12:49.800 --> 0:12:52.880 comming to catch, breaks a tackle forty forty five midfield 0:12:53.200 --> 0:12:56.439 third down in six, Montgomery twenty six yards on the 0:12:56.520 --> 0:12:59.280 catch and run at the Bears first down. Welcome back 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:01.840 to the Bears Coach Show with head coach Matt Everflus calling. 0:13:01.880 --> 0:13:04.439 All Bears fans get the ultimate VIP fan package with 0:13:04.600 --> 0:13:07.720 Chicago Bears VIP. Secure a game ticket and appearance from 0:13:07.720 --> 0:13:10.840 Bears legends and more by visiting Chicago Bears vip dot com. 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:14.559 That was the aforementioned Dave Montgomery twenty six yard catch 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:16.280 in the first quarter that we touched on. Just his 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:19.840 ability to get open, make catch, and then make people 0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:23.600 miss after the catch, something that the Bears incorporated yesterday. 0:13:24.640 --> 0:13:26.040 We touched on that. I want to go back the 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:29.120 tackling thing. Though. You get the old players and they say, well, 0:13:29.160 --> 0:13:31.120 that's all I attitude, it's all I want to Is 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:33.360 that also part of it? You got to really want 0:13:33.440 --> 0:13:35.599 to do it, even if your fundamentals are going to 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:37.560 be right on, if you're not willing to stick your 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:40.559 nose in there. Did you see any of that creeping 0:13:40.600 --> 0:13:42.640 in or fatigue in the fourth quarter, or just not 0:13:42.800 --> 0:13:45.880 being lined upright or a little bit of all the above. Yeah, 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:49.480 I would say that the old timers are correct because 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:51.920 it does take desire. You got to have the want 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:53.920 to to do it and the desire and the insight 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:55.720 grit to be able to make it a good tackle, 0:13:56.160 --> 0:13:57.640 you know. So we didn't see a bunch of that 0:13:57.720 --> 0:13:59.559 in terms of you know, guys doing that and not 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:02.560 having the desire. But it's more technique. Is more technique 0:14:02.559 --> 0:14:04.880 and bringing their feet on tackles and then putting their 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:08.760 pads in the right position. No Brisker, no Gordon yesterday 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:11.559 on top of it. So let's break it down. DHC 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:14.240 had nine tackles, and most he's had since a game 0:14:14.280 --> 0:14:16.680 a few years ago. I've always said, you know, whatever 0:14:16.800 --> 0:14:18.880 role you put him in, he's going to perform professionally 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:21.520 and was that the case he No, Ghc's been great. 0:14:21.600 --> 0:14:23.880 You know, he's uplifting to others. You know, he really 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:26.400 works hard. He did a good job in there yesterday, 0:14:27.640 --> 0:14:29.520 you know, and made a lot of tackles. You know, 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:31.080 he made a lot of tackles. But again, you don't 0:14:31.080 --> 0:14:33.000 want your sick on the secondary making a lot of tackles. 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:35.640 You want your defensive line, your linebackers leading the way 0:14:36.080 --> 0:14:39.400 in that regard. And typically when you have a corner 0:14:39.480 --> 0:14:41.880 or our safety leading the tackles, you're not playing very 0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:45.400 good run defense. That's happened in time or two this season. Yeah, yeah, 0:14:45.400 --> 0:14:48.040 it has like five or six tackle leaders are either 0:14:48.080 --> 0:14:50.600 a linebacker or but the defensive line is is this 0:14:52.040 --> 0:14:55.280 is this the area of greatest need and of improvement 0:14:55.360 --> 0:14:57.720 right now? Yeah? I would say that. You know, certainly 0:14:57.760 --> 0:14:59.560 our front seven needs to do a good job of 0:14:59.600 --> 0:15:01.880 stopping run. It starts with those guys. It starts with 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:04.800 those guys playing their gaps. Those guys you know, you know, 0:15:05.160 --> 0:15:07.440 fighting and competing to stay in their gaps with good 0:15:07.480 --> 0:15:11.120 technique and good fundamentals. You know, like Justin Jones I 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.960 think has done a really good job of improving upon that. 0:15:14.200 --> 0:15:16.320 He's really improved the last few weeks of staying in 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:19.240 his gap. You certainly noticed him yesterday. He was really 0:15:19.280 --> 0:15:21.160 doing a good job with the three technique of staying 0:15:21.200 --> 0:15:23.040 in that B gap making plays on the back side. 0:15:23.760 --> 0:15:25.520 So we were really pleased with the way he played 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:28.840 um yesterday. But it goes for everybody, even to defensive ends. 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:30.560 When you're running outside zone, you gotta be able to 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:33.360 set your arm okay and then make sure that they 0:15:33.440 --> 0:15:35.360 don't get too wide for the rest of the defense. 0:15:36.480 --> 0:15:38.720 But we have to improve that way for sure. What 0:15:38.840 --> 0:15:41.080 do you think of you know, run Marinelli. I always 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:43.760 ponded it in my head about takeoff get you know, takeoff, 0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:47.160 get off. Have you guys switched that up over the 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:49.640 course of the season on how they attack the line 0:15:49.640 --> 0:15:52.440 of scrimple footwork and stuff. No, we have not switched 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:55.080 it up. That's been the same. We're still a penetrating defense. 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:56.680 We want to play on their side of the line 0:15:56.680 --> 0:15:59.040 of scrimmage, and you know, they get off is the 0:15:59.120 --> 0:16:00.680 most important thing, you know, and then be able to 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:03.080 set edges on the front side, stay alive on the 0:16:03.160 --> 0:16:06.280 back side, and do a really good job with our fundamentals. 0:16:06.640 --> 0:16:10.920 A really good conversation with Travis Smith this week or 0:16:11.000 --> 0:16:13.360 this past week when the assistance are available to the 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:16.400 media and talked about Okay, do all these guys have 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:19.440 a toolbox? I'm talking about the defensive line toolbox and 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:21.880 one move. You go to move and then you have 0:16:22.160 --> 0:16:25.240 one counter, one counter yep, and he goes they probably 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:28.120 they probably don't all have that counter yet. How long 0:16:28.200 --> 0:16:30.880 does something like that take? It takes. It takes time. 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:33.800 It does take time. Like for a guy like Dominic Robinson, 0:16:33.880 --> 0:16:35.440 you know, it takes a little bit of time for 0:16:35.560 --> 0:16:37.320 him to be able to figure out what his fastball 0:16:37.480 --> 0:16:39.840 is and then what his counter is and that's all 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:41.880 you need. You only need one fastball in one counter. 0:16:42.040 --> 0:16:44.560 But they should both look the same, you know, on 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:46.720 the approach, you know, so when you're approaching that rush, 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:49.520 it should both look the same. So it's it's your 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:52.640 fastball and then the counter to that, and again that 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:55.480 varies by guy. But you got to audition some things. 0:16:55.480 --> 0:16:58.400 You got to try things out, and it's not always 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:00.880 the same. You know, it's really the same move for you, 0:17:01.320 --> 0:17:03.400 but you can make it look differently for different types 0:17:03.440 --> 0:17:05.879 of past setters. You know, so it's important that you 0:17:05.960 --> 0:17:08.159 have that always playing that game inside the game. Some 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:11.040