One job is definitely up for grabs after Bears' loss to Commanders
Rookie life in the NFL is hard. Especially in the beginning. But, at the same time, it's not an excuse for poor play. It doesn't matter if you're a 10-year veteran or a rookie: You're going to get benched if you make dumb mistakes. Granted, the leash is a whole lot shorter for rooks, as […]
Rookie life in the NFL is hard. Especially in the beginning.
But, at the same time, it's not an excuse for poor play. It doesn't matter if you're a 10-year veteran or a rookie: You're going to get benched if you make dumb mistakes.
Granted, the leash is a whole lot shorter for rooks, as it should be.
And it's time for the Chicago Bears to pull back the leash on Velus Jones Jr.'s punt return duties.
Jones Jr. muffed his second punt in three games against the Washington Commanders on Thursday night and this one was a backbreaker, just like his muff against the New York Giants in Week 4.
This simply cannot happen. Especially under the circumstances where your team has a chance to build on a lead and subsequently win the game.
There were a few reasons why the Bears lost and Jones Jr.'s muff was certainly one of them.
Head coach Matt Eberflus knows this and he'll be looking into the possibility of making a change during the coming days.
"We're going to have to look at that," Eberflus said when asked if Jones Jr. needs more time to get comfortable fielding punts. "The No. 1 job of any kick returner and punt returner is to catch the ball."
Everything starts with Jones Jr.'s decision to field the ball, in the first place. He tried to field the ball inside the 10, which is never recommended unless there is an obvious crease forming that can't be passed up.
And, obviously, it all went downhill from there.
"Simply, I was trying to do too much," Jones Jr. said after the game. "The ball would've went in the end zone, but I tried to run back and make a play on it. I should've let it go into the end zone for a touchback."
The learning experience will be beneficial in the long run, even if it's a negative experience.
But, for now, the Bears need to let Jones Jr. sit and simply get more comfortable when it comes to returning punts. He's clearly not ready at this stage of his career.
That doesn't mean he'll never be ready and of course, one always wants to proceed carefully when making a decision that can affect a player's confidence.
But at the same time, these guys are NFL players. They exude confidence. And Jones Jr. is a mature guy, even if he's a rookie. He knows he's now cost his team two chances at extending a game. He knows it's on him. Meaning, losing the job shouldn't affect Jones Jr. to the point where he can never recover.
"I mean, yea, it's been on my mental," said Jones. "I've battled with that. It wasn't a smart play [and] I tried to do too much.
"… If I could go back, [I'd just] be smart and get the offense the ball back with a one-point lead, like I should've done and let it roll in the end zone."
As we all know, Jones Jr. and the Bears can't go back and change the outcome of the last three weeks, but they can make a change moving forward to help put themselves in a better position to win games.
And, unfortunately, that starts with giving someone else looks at punt returner.
You can check out Eberflus' full presser below:
Featured image via Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
