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Courtney Cronin, ESPN Staff WriterNov 28, 2024, 07:28 PM ET
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- Courtney Cronin signed up with ESPN in 2017, initially covering the Minnesota Vikings before changing to the Chicago Bears in 2022. Courtney is a regular panelist on Around the Horn and host of Best Week Ever on ESPN Radio. She likewise co-hosts The Chicago Bears Podcast on ESPN 1000. She formerly operated at the San Jose Mercury News as a multimedia sports reporter.
DETROIT– With 36 seconds staying, tracking by 3 points after assembling a furious second-half resurgence, the Chicago Bears remained in position to connect or beat the Lions on Thanksgiving Day.
Late-game clock mismanagement ensured the Bears would not get the possibility to finish a come-from-behind success versus their department competitor. As time abandoned Chicago to strengthen a 6th successive loss in a 23-20 defeat, coach Matt Eberflus protected his choice to not call a timeout in the last minutes of the video game.
“We’re at 36 seconds right there and our hope was, due to the fact that it was 3rd [down] entering into 4th [down]that we would rerack that play at 18 seconds, toss it inbounds, get it in basket variety and after that call a timeout,” Eberflus stated.
Upon getting the ball back at Detroit’s 1-yard line with 3:31 to play, the Bears ran 13 plays before dealing with second-and-20 from the Lions’ 35-yard line. Quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked for a 6-yard loss with 32 seconds staying as Detroit protective end Za’Darius Smith went unblemished to bring the novice down.
Rather of calling a timeout ahead of what ended up being Chicago’s last play while dealing with third-and-26 from Detroit’s 41-yard line, the Bears let the clock unwind. About 10 seconds passed before Williams anxiously informed the offense to get lined up for a pass play, and the ball was not snapped till there were 6 seconds staying.
Williams released a deep ball to novice pass receiver Rome Odunze that bounced off the grass inside the 5-yard line as time ended.
“I understood when we snapped the ball that the [clock] was going to go out, so I was attempting to get to completion zone,” Odunze stated “We simply didn’t get a fantastic protection for it. Progressing, I’ll understand what I require to do to arrive.”
When asked postgame how the Bears must have handled the last series in retrospection, Eberflus doubled down on the group’s late-game operation.
“I like what we did there,” Eberflus stated. “Again, once it’s under 7 [seconds]you’re going to call a timeout there– in fact under 12 and after that truly you do not have an alternative due to the fact that it’s 3rd to 4th, you need to toss it into completion zone then.
“To me it’s– I believe we managed it the proper way, I do think that you simply rerack the play,