The Chicago Bears are innovaters, when you think about it. They keep inventing new ways to lose. Just when you think we've seen it all, they surprise the world with something new, never-before-seen. And when it happens on Thanksgiving, it means we all get to witness that new way of losing together.
In the early game on the Thanksgiving slate, the Chicago Bears were dead in the water against the Detroit Lions until Caleb Williams came alive in the second half and led the Bears back to within 3 points, down 23-20 with a few minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
On the final drive, Williams led the Bears past midfield into field goal range, but then took a sack on second down with about 40 seconds left. Chicago had a timeout remaining, but Bears coach Matt Eberflus neglected taking that timeout, instead letting the clock just tick down... all the way to zero. A Caleb Williams semi-hail mary on third down fell to the turf and the game was over.
Huh?
The social media world did not go easy on Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus after clock gaffe
To no one's surprise, the football world took a break from eating to roast the Bears coach after losing a game there seemed to be no reason to lose — or at least send to overtime.
Matt Eberflus on the sideline watching the clock run out with a timeout in his pocket pic.twitter.com/eF315CcmQQ
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) November 28, 2024
Caleb Williams: I’m going to put this team on my back three weeks in a row and get us in a spot to win
— Barstool Chicago (@barstoolchicago) November 28, 2024
Matt Eberflus:
pic.twitter.com/PZHmzEIBv9
Matt Eberflus while the Bears’ offense is wasting time getting a play in pic.twitter.com/UouBwOHgWT
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) November 28, 2024
Matt Eberflus when it’s time to find a new insane way to lose a football game pic.twitter.com/azADwy0YJE
— Bearsszn (@bearssznn) November 28, 2024
Fire Eberflus
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) November 28, 2024
wtf was that ending.
You wouldn’t mess that up if you played more Madden.
Eberflus not realizing they didn’t have a timeout needs to be the final moment of his coaching career with the Bears.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) November 28, 2024
First half: Eberflus should be fired.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 28, 2024
Second half: Maybe not.
End of game: Yeah, he should be fired.
This is not the Thanksgiving comeback miracle that it looked like Chicago fans hoped this game was progressing toward. If anything, it's a memorable finish, just for the worst reasons possible.
Matt Eberflus is a person just like the rest of us, and I hope he doesn't get fired on Thanksgiving because that's a pretty tough finish to a holiday in that he probably just wants to spend with his family. The memes — when in good humor — are still pretty good, though.