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When a team suffers a devastating loss in the final seconds of the game, the mind typically wonders into unfortunate places, namely the land of regret. “What could we have done differently on that play?” “Would the outcome have changed if we converted that opportunity?” The Chicago Bears should find it unbearable to review the film of their loss to the Washington Commanders, especially the last several minutes of the fourth quarter.
The miraculous Hail Mary touchdown that propelled the banged-up Jayden Daniels and his squad to an 18-15 victory was aided by some extremely questionable decision-making that preceded it. Fans will justifiably focus on the inexcusable lack of vigilance that Tyrique Stevenson exhibited seconds before the desperation heave was launched, or the lax defensive formation on the previous play that enabled such an attempt in the first place. But those massive gaffes cannot spare the Bears from facing accountability for their goal-line catastrophe.
With the momentum swinging firmly in Chicago's favor, courtesy of D'Andre Swift and Caleb Williams, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron opted to hand the ball off to backup center Doug Kramer Jr. on third-and-goal at Washington's one-yard line with less than six and a half minutes left in regulation. The lineman almost immediately fumbled the pigskin, which the Commanders dutifully recovered.
What could have been a go-ahead score instead becomes a stern reminder that the Bears still have plenty of work to do in their ongoing efforts to change the culture. Rather than trust Swift or fellow running back Roschon Johnson to gain the one yard, the coaching staff decided to get cute. It is incredibly difficult to justify the call, but Chicago is giving it a try nonetheless.
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Matt Eberflus explains the Bears' blunder
“It’s a play we’ve worked,” head coach Matt Eberflus said, per Chris Emma of 670 The Score. “We’ve worked that play since (Kramer) has been in there. We’ve worked it, worked the mechanics of it, the handoff to him. We just got to do it better… It's a one-yard play. We felt that a big guy like that taking a dive could do that.”
Kramer has been operating at fullback throughout the year– the Bears released former FB Khari Blasingame days before their Week 8 matchup– but the 2022 sixth-round draft pick had never logged an in-game carry. Regardless of how much Eberflus, Waldron or the team prepared for it, this was simply not the ideal time to implement such an unconventional maneuver.
The only people Chicago deceived with that trick-play are the optimistic fans who believed that the days of bewildering Bears football were a thing of the past. They will have their guard up for Sunday's game versus the Arizona Cardinals, as Chicago aims to bounce back in State Farm Stadium.
