We looked at Ezra’s confession before Thanksgiving. Confession isn’t a bad thing. It’s simple acknowledgement of where we have gone wrong in the past so that we can change course in the future.

That’s why Chicago Bears’ coach Matt Eberflus’ post game behavior Thanksgiving Day is a mystery.

ESPN reporter Courtney Cronin put it simply:

With 36 seconds remaining, trailing by three points after putting together a furious second-half comeback, the Chicago Bears were in position to tie or defeat the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

But late-game clock mismanagement assured the Bears would not get the chance to complete a come-from-behind victory against their division rival. – November 28, 2024, emphasis mine

36 seconds and one time out is a lifetime in football. The Bears had the ball in Lions territory. They needed only a few yards to get in range of a tying field goal, and a touchdown would win the game. How many plays did they run in that 36 seconds? One. One play, which they started with six seconds to go. As Courtney said “late-game clock mismanagement.” But what did the coach say?

When asked postgame how the Bears should have managed the final sequence in retrospect, Eberflus doubled down on the team’s late-game operation.

“I like what we did there,” Eberflus said. “Again, once it’s under seven [seconds], you’re going to call a timeout there — actually under 12 and then really you don’t have an option because it’s third to fourth, you have to throw it into the end zone then.

“To me it’s — I think we handled it the right way, I do believe that you just rerack the play, get it in bounds and call timeout, and that’s why we held it and didn’t work out the way we wanted it to.”

“I like what we did there…We handled it the right way.” Really? Letting 30 seconds run off the clock without running a play is the right way?! It’s mind-boggling. Where’s a confession when you need one?

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1.8, 9, ESV)

PS Bears coach Eberflus was fired today.