One metric that proves Matt Eberflus' system is working in Chicago
The Chicago Bears need significant improvement in a handful of areas in order to succeed in 2023.Though head coach Matt Eberflus’ first season at the helm in Chicago didn’t go quite as planned, he did manage to lay one foundational pillar with his team. Discipline is critical at the NFL level, especially for teams who […]
The Chicago Bears need significant improvement in a handful of areas in order to succeed in 2023.Though head coach Matt Eberflus’ first season at the helm in Chicago didn’t go quite as planned, he did manage to lay one foundational pillar with his team.
Discipline is critical at the NFL level, especially for teams who lack talent at key positions. The Bears oftentimes relied on backups due to injuries and midseason departures, but penalties never really derailed the team.
Eberflus’ team committed just 80 accepted penalties on the season. That total was the third-lowest number in the NFL, just ahead of perennial contenders such as the Bengals (81), Ravens (82) and Chiefs (87).
Now, playing disciplined football isn’t enough to win in the NFL by itself. However, it’s clear that Eberflus’ position coaches are correctly teaching technique in practice.
Many injury-riddle teams like the Cardinals and Titans are quick to blame their inexperienced depth for their high volume in the penalty department. The Cardinals led the league with 118 infractions while the Titans finished fourth, committing 111 penalties.
Not only did the Bears field one of the youngest rosters in football, but Eberflus and his new coaching staff were able to instill a foundational trait that should help translate to future success in Chicago. It might not seem like much on the surface, but it’s most definitely one less problem to worry about.
Featured image via Dale Zanine – USA TODAY Sports
