How out of balance is the NFC eight weeks into the season?
The Chicago Bears have a better record than the Arizona Cardinals, but the Bears are last in their division and the Cardinals share first place in their division.
Moreover, despite the fact that the Bears (4-3) have the edge in win-loss record, point differential, DVOA and every other useful metric, most sportsbooks list Kyler Murray and the Cardinals (4-4) as slight favorites . Afternoon in Glendale, Arizona.
Perhaps the Hail Mary that cost the Bears a win last Sunday in Washington — and cost head coach Matt Eberflus some credibility with the fanbase — has put Chicago in a different light with fans.
Eberflus was criticized after the game and throughout the week — including from Bears players — for allowing the Commanders to complete an unprotected pass from 13 yards out right before Jayden Daniels’ game-winning 52-yard touchdown pass with no time remaining.
He was also picked on for claiming that the 13-yard completion was harmless, for failing to call a timeout to make the Bears more willing to have a Hail Mary, and for not revealing whether cornerback Tyreek Stevenson — who was facing the wrong way and jeering from Commander’s fans during the course of the final play — was taken. Imposing any penalty for his negligence.
“I spoke with Tirek,” Eberflus said. “We had a good conversation. I’ll keep it there with me and I. It’s all about accountability and execution and that starts with me. The game didn’t end the way we wanted it to. We hold each other accountable.”
“We expressed our opinions and he expressed his thoughts,” Bears quarterback Caleb Williams said of the weekly meeting between Eberflus and the Bears’ eight captains. “We had a conversation with a grown man. There weren’t any raised voices or things like that – just real talk.”
In contrast, everything looks peachy in the desert. The Cardinals have won three of their last four games for the first time since Weeks 9-13 of the 2021 season. In each win — over San Francisco, the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami by a combined four points — Chad Ryland hit a game-winning field goal in the final two minutes (including two before There is no time left).
Another key for the Cardinals? In their four losses, they collected just four sacks. But in their four wins, they have combined for 11. Veteran linebacker Dennis Gardeck and second-year running back Dante Stills lead the way with three sacks each.
“We have to continue to find ways to impact the passer,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said. “There were some blips in some games when we did that fairly consistently — and there were some games where we weren’t so consistent. This (week) is a big challenge for us because (Caleb Williams) is forcing us to play differently in Defending with his skill set.”
Arizona could acquire rookie defensive tackle Darius Robinson’s services on Sunday. The first-round pick has yet to appear in a game due to a calf injury suffered in the preseason, but was added to the roster this week with hopes the projected starter can return to form sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, the Bears may be without two key pieces in the secondary. Starting safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) and nickelback Kyler Gordon (hamstring) missed last week’s loss and did not participate in Wednesday’s round. Defensive end Montez Sweet (Shane) was one of three other Bears who missed practice.
For the Cardinals, offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum (groin) and Robinson (calf) were the only players to miss practice. Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (neck) is in full practice.
Before kickoff on Sunday, fans looking out onto the field will see one of the most warm conversations between head coaches in NFL history. Gannon, who is in his second year as Arizona’s coach, spent 2018-20 serving as the Indianapolis Colts’ defensive backs coach when Eberflus was the team’s defensive coordinator.
“Oh man,” Gannon said. “It’s going to be good to see him. People ask me about him all the time. The first thing that comes to mind is elite leadership skills. I learned a lot from him. I took a lot of what I learned from him to work on Philly (as defensive coordinator) and then to here. He’s been a really great resource for me,” he said. I love his family, I’ve done so much for my family in Indy.
– Media at the field level