Eberflus provides injury updates, take on new kickoff rule |
CHICAGO—The beginning of the regular season has finally arrived.
Going into his third season as the Chicago Bears' head coach, Matt Eberflus has overseen the team's rebuilding process. They will now face the Tennessee Titans this Sunday (Noon/FOX), who have changed more during the offseason than perhaps any other team in the league. “It’s going to be a good test for us. Obviously, new offense, new quarterback, those things. We’re looking for a clean operation, looking for good flow in and out of the huddle, looking for handling adversity when adversity does happen, how we respond to that really as a whole football team, not just on the offense,” Eberflus said. “Want to make sure that we’re clean formally, clean alignment, assignment, making sure we’re going through our keys, our progressions, playing with great technique, playing fast, playing physical, the basics of football and that’s what we’re looking for this first time. Of course, making the plays when you need to make the plays and the playmakers putting the playmakers in position to make those plays.” Part of preparing for Chicago’s game is seeing the games that occurred before it, especially the first game of the NFL season. Watching the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens highlighted the emphasis the league will be putting on illegal formation penalties. In fact, Eberflus said the league sent Chicago a tape regarding the illegal formation penalty and how it is going to be called this season. “The league sent us a tape about the whole illegal formation, and that’s what was called last night, and the tackles have to break the waist of the center, and if you’re too far back, typically, they give you a warning. But they’re starting to call that. That’s going to be a point of emphasis,” Eberflus said. “The other thing that’s going to be a point of emphasis is the shaving of the motion with the receivers. So, when they come in jet motion or regular motion, they got to make sure that they’re still staying horizontal, not going vertical towards the line of scrimmage before the ball (is snapped). So, we talked to our guys about that and showed them some clips on that as well. So, they’re informed.” Another insight from the Chiefs—Ravens game is that the dynamic kickoff is not so dynamic. In that matchup, there were only two kickoff returns out of 11 kickoffs, not much different from last season. Part of what Eberflus attributes to this strategy could be the opposing kickoff returner. “I think it’s based on, sometimes, on a returner,” Eberflus said. “If you’re back there and you got Devin Hester, I don’t know how many guys are going to kick to him. But there are few guys like that in the league. But, we’ll see how it goes.” Eberflus also provided some injury updates. Chicago fans should not be concerned about edge rusher Montez Sweat or wide receiver Keenan Allen. While they are both listed as questionable on the injury report, both were full participants in practice on Friday. Someone who is truly questionable is defensive end Darrell Taylor, whom the Bears acquired from the Seattle Seahawks via trade on Aug. 23. “He got stepped on (Thursday) in his foot,” Eberflus said. “We’ll work him out (Saturday), work him out during the game. We’ll see where he is at that point.”
