Bears' new HC Ben Johnson dodges question on Matt Eberflus' Thanksgiving day collapse

One of the major criticisms of NFL coaches is the lack of situational awareness, as the moment may get a little too fast for them in critical moments. That seemingly happened to former Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus in his final game before being fired, but the new coach was not taking the bait on a question surrounding it.

While appearing on FS1's "Breakfast Ball" on Jan. 23, new Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson was asked by co-host Danny Parkins about a "hypothetical scenario" involving the final game that Matt Eberflus coached on Thanksgiving. Instead of answering what he would have done, Johnson jokingly said he's not answering that question.

"We're not going there today, we're not going there."

The Chicago Bears wound up losing the Week 13 Thanksgiving game to the Detroit Lions 23-20. Caleb Williams had the ball in his hands with 36 seconds left and was sacked on 2nd and 20. Instead of calling a timeout, then-coach Matt Eberflus had the team run a hurry-up offense, which resulted in a loss. Eberflus was fired before Week 14 began.

What is the biggest need for the Chicago Bears this offseason?

The Chicago Bears finished the 2024 season with a 5-12 record and were not able to live up to the hype during the offseason. They struggled on the offensive side of the field, which is a big reason why they were interested in coach Ben Johnson.

The biggest need is to boost their offensive line, as they have considerable talent at the wide receiver and running back positions. With three of their starting offensive linemen as unrestricted free agents, improvement in that area is crucial.

Sacks are a significant killer for the offense, as Caleb Williams was sacked 68 times, which is the most for a single quarterback since David Carr in 2005. The offensive line has not been able to block well enough to give enough time for the play to develop and Williams time to make a decision with the football.

Getting more solid offensive linemen will certainly help the Chicago Bears take the next step this upcoming season.