Poor coaching dooms Caleb Williams, Bears in loss vs. Colts

On this episode of the Under Center Podcast, Kenneth Davis, Josh Schrock, and Glynn Morgan break down the Bears' 21-16 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3. The trio dissect quarterback Caleb Williams' performance and criticize the Bears' poor offensive plan that had the rookie throw 52 passes. They discuss the option call on fourth-and-goal that cost the Bears points and analyze why offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's plan of attack. Then, they talk about the Bears' inability to run the ball. Next, they look at head coach Matt Eberflus' poor clock management that cost the Bears a critical timeout in the loss. The guys then flip over to the defensive side of the ball to break down a good performance against Anthony Richardson. They finish by wondering if the Bears' decision to keep Eberflus is already harming Caleb Williams.
#ChicagoBears #indianapoliscolts #CalebWilliams
📱Get the NBC Sports Chicago App:
Google Play: trib.al/WrMXSDP
Apple Store: trib.al/x7nIm69
► Listen to our podcasts: www.nbcsportsc...
► Find us on Instagram: / nbcschicago
► Like on Facebook: / nbcschicago
► Follow on X: / nbcschicago
► Follow on TikTok: / nbcschicago

[@alangann3809]

My wife, who knows little to nothing about football even asked what stupid play calling was being made by the coaches!!

[@n0rsca392]

My girlfriend is a baseball fan, knows almost nothing about football and she was asking the same stuff lol

[@SRT_Tone5]

Its ridiculous!

[@foolmenow00]

Are any one you guys' wives available for hire? We could use them!

[@elliottwatson5491]

Good points... Great coaching helps good players become greater and help develop lesser talent. When have we had that here especially offensively

[@samsanchez8997]

We need to stop thinking this O Line had anything to do with rushing yards in the last two years. Those rushing yards came more from Justin scrambling when the O Line could not pass protect.

[@AlYrvan]

It now like a whole fan base was screaming that. But nope. It was all justins fault

[@CRubey23]

All I know is next week we play McVay who is a top 3 coach in the NFL. I don’t care how injured and banged up LA is cause shit is bout to get ugly. 1-3 start would be horrible and the end of the year more than likely.

[@haroldsimpson8422]

Facts!

[@kevinb6745]

Yes, at this point we see it’s not about talent. It comes down to coaching liabilities with this team. Major LIABILITY = Eberflus & Waldron

[@visual_sanctum]

Definitely a must win situation. Can't start 1-3 with their back-loaded schedule. Rams are beat up, and the game is in CHI. Gotta have it.

[@mr.fukk12]

You guys give up too damn quick. Caleb is a rookie and the whole offense is new for the vets as well. Calebs gonna put it together by the end of the season and that’s all bears fans need to find out this season and next season is where they use the teams strengths to fill the last spots needed to make a run deep in the playoffs. Coaches are bad but they will turn it around and they will be good by the second half of the season. Enjoy the bears first top tier quarterback ever and calm down

[@cubist12]

I'm glad you guys opened with the play calling. It was insane. Just insane. Waldron needs to adapt to his personnel and what the other team is doing. More stubborn play calling, prioritizing scheme over opportunity.

[@elliottwatson5491]

I'm concerned because when Waldron was with Seattle, he ran the ball with Walker III. And now it seems he's trying to completely change philosophy with Caleb and this offense.

[@jeromesims410]

I've been hearing about the "final" shows from you guys and it's fuckn sad. Love the real insight you guys bring with no fluff. Are you guys doing another show ? If so, when and where ?

[@roddyb5310]

i want to know about this also i love this podcast

[@davidboyce6427]

Love the PASSIONATE ANALYSIS you 3 👌👀🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@AmateurSynthusiast]

Nah fuck these dudes they pushed to get rid of Fields all season saying it’s his fault, now they are making excuses for caleb

[@ranapartap1501]

Fire fluus and waldron

[@diegojuanparasabayan]

Waldron is worse than getsy.

[@MCfact1827]

No

[@joshuawilson444]

Should have went with Klint Kubiak

[@javelldunn3379]

Bears need to fire Fluss and Waldron

[@jimmy_butler]

Not flus fault caleb is trash

[@Spice_Titan]

It's gonna happen

[@bradasbury7006]

​@@jimmy_butlerstop it

[@Kmd-wp9xx]

@@jimmy_butlerno one said Caleb had to be a week one starter , so yea it’s on him

[@garyrayford1201]

Play calling was TRASH, no doubt...I just find it interesting that Josh NEVER made these excuses for Justin

[@jacobcarter5712]

“Getsy’s soul is still here” 😂😂😂

[@jeromesims410]

@jacobcarter5712 naaaaa Getsy left his playbook and Waldron running the same shit just dressed up

[@alexbowen4286]

I hope you guys can find a way to keep this pod going. You guys are the best.

[@andrewzhou3749]

Bears really need to stop this pattern of hot seat coaches/GMs drafting QBs. Obviously a tactic to extend their regime.

[@JACKXK]

Matt Eberflus is the problem. Poles keeping him is the problem.

[@shannongreene1796]

Ol boys club coaches. Can we be honest about what the ol boys clubs is?

[@davidboyce6427]

You mean like bringing strategist minds like Richard Sherman, Keyshawn Johnson, former BearsAlex Brown, Tom Thayer, Herman Edward’s. Last One: Marvin Harrison Sr👌

[@adnsmusic3842]

@@davidboyce6427Not at all white racist loser, thanks for telling on yourself

[@sjogre7789]

P.S. if this is last show. You all take care. Hope to see all 3 of you and Alex elsewhere. ✌🏻❤️🙏🏻

[@mansurx26]

Fire Ryan Poles for not firing Eberflus. Everyone should be gone after this year.

[@CoffeeeNBears]

I like this Morgan guy. He knows what he is talking about

[@sjogre7789]

Eye test : Waldron bad, Swift needs to stop dancing and start running FORWARD. gonna miss this show. Gonna miss Glynn stopping by.

[@foolmenow00]

I'm ex-Navy, and Coach Flux better damage control this slowly sinking ship in a hurry. Once the media sharks start calling Bears' coaches and organization out, well, hot seats appear larger in rear view and get hotter! SOMEBODY better take charge and change this failing culture.... FAST!

[@visual_sanctum]

It's fair to say Caleb has had a very underwhelming first 3 games to his career relative to outside expectations, but relative to himself, he has made noticeable improvements in every game this season, no thanks to this coaching staff. The 53 pass attempts is obviously too much, but I actually think this could potentially end up being a good thing in the long term. Every pass attempt is a new data point for Caleb. Trubisky and Fields weren't given the opportunity to throw this many times in a game, especially as rookies, and I think it hurt their development. As long as Caleb is able to use this experience to get better at recognizing hot reads, as not to get himself killed when teams blitz, I don't hate him throwing the ball a lot his rookie season. That being said, having no running game at all IS going to hurt the quarterback if they don't figure something out in a hurry. As a quick aside: we have to stop labeling every 4th quarter comeback attempt where an opponent is down double digits as "garbage time." The Bears were only down 2 scores with over 5 minutes left + 2 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. That's way too much time to sit back in prevent and allow the game to get needlessly tight in the final minutes. It was still very much a game that was well within reach for the Bears to take up until the defense couldn't get off the field in an obvious run situation.

[@n0rsca392]

The elephant in the room is Eberflus. Drafting a #1 overall QB with a defensive minded coach is NEVER a winning formula. Plus, Eberflus is WAY TOO NICE to his players and treats them like friends, not players. You can't be a soft coach and win. Never happened.

[@samwilson6316]

I noticed that as well watching Hard Knocks

[@jimmy_butler]

Youre clueless, hes a head coach not coordinator, it doesnt matter what his background is

[@n0rsca392]

@@jimmy_butler Yeah what do I know, I only played D2 college football, my bad. Not an NFL-caliber pro like you LOL

[@jimmy_butler]

@@n0rsca392 exactly there's a reason you're not D1

[@n0rsca392]

@@jimmy_butler lmao

[@timdesoto3138]

You can look at the 2pt conversion thing 2 ways. Kick the extra point then hold them to a field goal. Down by 7...not 8. Miss the 2 point conversion and they kick a field goal...now you need 8 points. It's not Madden 25! There was too much time left to worry about going for 2. I wanted the extra point myself.

[@AlyxTF]

Can’t believe there’s only 2 pods left. Going to miss you all greatly and hope to see you back talking bears soon

[@timdesoto3138]

He definitely learned after the 1st pick. He was quitck and on time and accurate. The INT to Odunze was a PI all day. His arm was held down... total b.s. Strip sack was not on Caleb. Play calling was horrible at times.

[@je4895]

My girlfriend who still confuses the Bears with the Cubs even noticed the play calling was trash. WTF is Walden doing? No wonder Pete Carroll changed Waldrons calls in Seattle. He noticed what we are currently seeing. Terrible, fucking embarrassing

[@cheersmodreams691]

I always thought the exhibition games were all about defining what kind of team you want to be. Not the Bears. I was unable to watch the Bears game, but I enjoyed watching Justin Fields lead the Steelers to a big victory. You give him an O-line, you give him a running game and he's the quarterback that many expected him to be. Meanwhile, Caleb Williams, with no O-line, no running game, is now the next Bears quarterback to experience a Justin Fields-like failure.

[@markussharkus6727]

Always a good excuse coming out of Chicago

[@jedeyehoward6885]

Hmmmm this sounds eerily familiar to when Justin Fields was here where in which he was always under duress and had to bail out to make a play

[@tyreepowell8367]

Thank You For Everything NBC Sports Chicago And I Will Always Be Your Biggest Fan

[@jlcarthan2]

I know a lot of people like tory but why draft a punter when you could have drafted a starting caliber center....which one is going to have the greater impact

[@hughheavens3753]

I get you don't want to fire coaches every 3 years or so, but at what point do we come to the conclusion Flus is not a HC?

[@kevinb6745]

Enjoyed this postgame discussion. Conveyed all the frustrations and comical bullshit we have to continue suffering through until Poles has the courage to pull the plug. This is a train wreck and can be salvaged

[@Doubleduo-s8e]

The Bears NEVER fire coaches during the season, were so screwed😭get rid of Shane Waldron, complete chaos.

[@Beardwick]

They fired DC last year. Hopefully they get rid of these guys soon

[@woodstocknation1961]

This season is gonna be a learning process

[@sjogre7789]

With like 6 min left in 3rd quarter the TV announcers said Caleb had already thrown 32 times. How is that helping a rookie QB? How did Waldron not see Roschon was getting 3-4 yards when he touched ball!! Waldron comes off as that kid who breaks his new toys right away. Fluss spent whole summer saying it hasta end in a kick. Apparently he lied.

[@noacosmic6447]

Please find a way to keep this pod going under a new name or something. I love the way you guys debate and I always wished you guys would post consistently. Best of luck to you all.

[@timothywilliams6461]

The presence of JF1 made the running what it was before this year

[@dwsippel]

Josh is the voice of this Bears fan. I've already moved my 10 win season prediction down to 5. New coaches next year, if they make it that long.

[@Spice_Titan]

Why we think we can do wat the packers do?... we don't have the line they have ( they prioritize that) and we don't have the play caller

[@breezybear1224]

Bear down. Even in a loss.

[@garyrayford1201]

Y'all preaching though!! All Facts

[@Slick1020]

WTH is Glenn talking about? Caleb has 1 fumble in 3 games. Fields had 2-3 in 4 games last year.

[@runnin3216]

Caleb has 2 fumbles this season, but recovered one of them (@ TEN). He did have fumble issue at USC.

[@jimmy_butler]

He fumbled 33 times at usc cause he has tiny woman hands

[@glynnmorgan2882]

referring to his fumbling history at USC.

[@ChicagoBob123]

When you can't score from the 1 yard line you have SERIOUS issues. It was really sad

[@artdeboer4096]

The offensive line is totally out of shape!! No time in the weight room! No accountability whatever!! Does anyone lose there job?? Get benched??

[@americancheez]

The endless cycle of being a bears fan unfortunately

[@timdesoto3138]

Glen hit the nail right on the head with his take. Play football!

[@timdesoto3138]

All the bad running plays went to Swift. Johnson and Herbert are our guys.

[@matthewfocheezy8740]

true but what you guys are saying makes perfect sense. will these coaches do that stuff

[@chi-townlowend1812]

Welcome to JF1 life as a Bear QB 😂😂😂😂

[@1vpmark]

Until you get rid of Eberflus, you will never build a solid team in Chicago...

[@Jay-bw4vf]

quarterbacks need 2-4 years of development time!! 4 years ago i said the exact same thing about sam darnold, i said sam darnold has a canon he throws a nice ball, he needs development time, everyone laughed at me, as for caleb he should be fully developed by 2027-28*. the whole league is now throwing these 22 yr old qbs on the field and they are just not ready

[@caedengundvaldson4312]

Is this podcast ending?? Someone please let me know

[@tric5122]

Id put 90% of this loss on Poles. He has, in 3 years not seriously addressed the OL. Started with the def and DBs then lbs and the dl. now Wrs and the qb. This is bassakwards to how you build a team. No OL no O it's that simple. No coach can make this work. Coaches have issues also, but like the QB, if there was an OL that was top 15 instead of a top 5 def this would all look better

[@ranapartap1501]

Diversity hire

[@TheDrosul]

Not just the OL itself, the OL coaching is an issue too. Multiple of the guys we've gotten rid of do better elsewhere.

[@tric5122]

@@TheDrosul maybe, but also maybe they are part of an overall better group that minimalizes their input. 5 failures make a giant failure, 1 out of 5 can be passable. Could also be coaching to. Jones, Wright, Jenkins are not only not progressing, but seem to be getting work. But I'm a firm believer of jimmy and joe's being more important then x's and o's. you have 5 capable OL the coaching/scheme won't matter that much, and good coaching can look far worse w/guys that shouldn't be in the league.

[@cimerians]

You can't bring this head coach back for another year. Justin Fields bailed him out out last year by running

[@Themagnificentone022]

I still think we should have kept fields

[@elliottwatson5491]

Welp. We still need another off-season focused on getting better in the trenches. We'll have Carolinas 2nd round pick plus our top 10 1st round pick( oh, We'll be 5-12). 1st two picks should be lineman.

[@MCfact1827]

Interesting how with CW...its "poor coaching". With last QB....it was all his fault. 🤔

[@garyrayford1201]

... hindsight being 20/20...but how does having Joe Alt & Rome AND an extra pick look now

[@roddyb5310]

they don’t have a competent head coach, this on poles nobody wanted the flus back but him and the o line is on him also i hate how he just getting by

[@GatorZillaChomp]

Yea, garbage coaching=losing team, which Chicago should get comfortable with. Sorry being on a losing team that has never found a good GM, Coaches, and front office is like holding your breath for air when you're a mile under water.

[@caryfranklin5081]

Josh thank you for speaking the truth!

[@matthewfocheezy8740]

Why do my bears always have bad coaches? friggin det figured it outfie Christ sakes

[@jedijata3078]

I don't understand how Shrock isn't an OC. He's got all the answers.

[@Spice_Titan]

Caleb will be the 3rd straight drafted bear qb who will be in a new scheme next yr... McVay gonna out coach em. I don't know who they can beat if the defense don't play perfect and score

[@stevenbarnes8238]

Well another butchering of a qb by bears. Could we start spending our 1st round picks on building a real good oline. Then get the qb. Because the other way around doesnt work. And did anyone see the interview where brady talk d about throwing qbs, that are not completely taught all aspects of pro game, out there in first year? Watch it.

[@jacobcarter5712]

They should have taken the money from Keenan Allen and signed a good veteran O lineman. Allen is great but is never healthy. Moore, Odunze and kmet would have been enough. We NEED a run game. That by itself would open everything up.

[@jamescordon8133]

The shanahans have shown for decades now, that you need a good offensive line, not a great running back. Put any explosive one-cut back behind a good line and you can run the ball... Obviously we just need a good o-line regardless...

[@caydenantrim2156]

Caching staff is terrible. Like they said, the Rams have more backups than starters on the o line and Kyren Williams is still cooking so there is no excuse for the run game to be this bad.

[@dorzelljordan4931]

Eberflus needs to get out the offensive meeting until when he needs they're game plan at the end of the week. Lets the coaches coach, we know you the head coach, but you stiffling our offensive game plan. This is like Ditka and Buddy Ryan, but flus is a horrible head coach.

[@danieljoyce7699]

They didn’t reset the QB clock, they reset the whole team back to Fields’ first year. There’s no difference to be seen

[@tracyalderson1756]

I think Josh Schrock should be hired as the O.C. Obviously, he gets it and is laughing at the play calling too. Why can't the Bears, as an organization ever get the combination right on coaches and players. It just seems year after year, there is always a major disconnect between the players, coaching staff, and GM. Another side would be, once again, in my opinion, is that the Bears don't ever make a change in season, they always let the ship sink clear to the bottom of the ocean before they start bailing out the boat.

[@matthewfocheezy8740]

Wait! But RB are a dime a dozen 😁

[@heartmatters701]

Josh is absolutely right: the performance was “unacceptable”. And specifically as it pertains to the Offensive Coaching.

[@monstersofmidway2239]

I mean if we had an actual line those scrambles away from pressure would look a lot better

[@djd1121]

MCaskey Curse. Bad offensive coaching. Bad Offensive OCs. Same old same old....

[@sevinbamuels6560]

Bears fans all complaining about coaching. But the rookie QB can’t make many BIG PLAYS when needs and our run game was sent to Pittsburgh.

[@Charles-cu3gn]

You said it yourself rookie Qb. The pressure fans like you put on him are just ridiculous he’s a rookie. Very very very few QBs come out like Stroud.

[@sevinbamuels6560]

@@Charles-cu3gn I know this; this is why people thought that we should have kept JF instead of taking the rebuild backwards.

[@frecklesjones732]

Let’s face it Justin went to a organization that caters to their players Tomlin is a hell of a coach that’s why he’s shining. When Russell comes back if he doesn’t play well it’s his ass.

[@TyroneSmith-cl3fr]

I wanna see Allen and Tyler Scott on the field this coming Sunday let’s win these next three games and go on the bye week

[@tau566]

KUBIAK JOHNSON SLOWIK

[@davidboyce6427]

Can the BEARS hire PEYTON MANNING as Team Advisor for each game.? Better yet hire him as Team President 👍👀

[@ScholarlyHiccup]

I just feel like we’re easier on Caleb than we were on Fields as a fanbase. I love Caleb I want him to work but we have to accept that so far it def looks like we made the wrong choice

[@mitchelllove7423]

Eberflus and Waldron are not it!!!

[@richardk54]

Hows a 12 point game with 5 and a half mins left considered "Garbage Time"?

[@mrredbull1387]

Maybe badgent should’ve been week 1 starter so Caleb can watch from for a few weeks

[@mcmic10]

It’s always a coaching! Idk why we thought we would be a good offense with Shane wishful thinking i guess

[@kenbookwood7418]

Once again the Bears are a joke !! Terrible coaches = Terrible system = Terrible owners = Terrible season = Here we go again !!!!!!!

[@c.miller2691]

Only muddy pockets gang

[@AlYrvan]

Where were these excuses for Justin. Damn yall keep the same energy

[@TheRealLanceCummings]

I didn't see the encroachment on 4th-and-two-and--they're-giving-us-the-pill mentioned, either. You're NOT blocking that, or trying to. They are GIVING you the ball. And you get sucked into a 5-yd penalty that let's them keep it. *Huge* coaching mistake. No unconcussed player gets suckered across the line there. But poorly coached ones, apparently. I know players have required physicals. How about IQ tests? But that is really sucky coaching. The coaching on that play is simple: You DO NOT cross the line until you see the snap in the air. You don't "anticipate". You don't get deked like a sophomore walk-on. Period. Over and out.

[@UR_Right24]

Hire Cliff Kingsbury as the HC in the offseason.

[@alittlewasted3869]

They are acting like Caleb is a veteran QB. The players can execute the plays even if they are bad plays. They aren't running good plays correctly. Caleb is fine the rest of yall i don't know about.

[@MichaelCNP]

Do you remember the robotic plays comments made by Justin Fields last year . We should hire Bill Belichick to coach Da Bears

[@hqkahuna929]

Yall should have known when they put Valus Jones on kick off. They can not analyze talent.

[@matthewfocheezy8740]

Guys the rest of the North looks strong. Bears better Knuckle up cuz it gonna get harder

[@orlinojr.llauderes6970]

1-17 season here we go!!!…….firing coaches again…

[@kingtut2421]

Coaches need to be fired especially shane ! And eberflus shouldn't have even been brought Back

[@kirkpabalate2432]

Fields is 3-0 with less, let’s not compare right now smfh

[@erichostens3916]

Fire them all! We need leader and teachers of the game. Not these fools

[@tastyfishsauce4410]

Colts had a duh moment. The Bears coaching is the duh and doubling down on the duh. What were they doing i the off season, installing fence instead of the new offense. Flus' new look can NOT mask the fact that he is still an over glorified DC. The HC responsibility seems to overwhelm him too much specially in crucial situation. The OC seems like what the Seahawks fans says he is, and stop with the "he came from the sweat of McVay balls coaching tree" because he looks closer to Getsy's love handles. This all starts with Poles who had the chance to break the cycle and hire the right HC who can then hire the right OC and so on. I've seen this movie before, Flus will waste 1 year of QB1, then they all get fired just to get a new coach that is more than likely tasked with fixing a QB he did not draft. Welcom to Chicago FOOSBALL.

[@timdesoto3138]

It wasn't garbage time. They had a chance. Stop with the garbage time shit. WTF...your professionals! 40-20 is garbage time with 2 minutes left.

[@deandreivory9093]

Agree!!