After drafting Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick out of USC, the Chicago Bears became a hot topic of conversation in the NFL, with many believing the team had finally found a franchise quarterback.
Although the jury is still out on whether Williams will live up to expectations in Chicago, Matt Eberflus didn’t last long as the Bears’ head coach with the promising rookie quarterback under center, as he was fired after losing to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, which was the team’s sixth straight loss. Eberflus’ future in the NFL was uncertain, to say the least, after the firing.
Fortunately for Eberflus, the Dallas Cowboys were willing to bring him in to become the new defensive coordinator, replacing Mike Zimmer as part of the coaching staff overhaul for America’s Team.
Eberflus to Face Bears for First Time Since Firing
In Week 3, Eberflus will take on his former team while leading the Micah Parsons-less Cowboys defense. The Cowboys will travel to Soldier Field, with both teams hoping to make a statement after disappointing starts to the 2025 campaign.
During a Cowboys press conference on Thursday ahead of the matchup with the Bears, Eberflus was asked about returning to Chicago in a coaching capacity for the first time since his firing and facing Williams.
“I really cherished the whole time I was there and the whole coaching experience, and then for Caleb it’s just really working through the process of his second year,” Eberflus said about his former quarterback. “Working through the timing and the rhythm of that offense, and you can see that going forward.”
Neither team has played up to expectations after the first two weeks of the season, with the Bears suffering an embarrassing collapse to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 and then getting crushed by Jared Goff and the Lions in Week 2, giving up 52 points to their division rivals.
As for the Cowboys, Dallas missed an opportunity to pull an upset against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the season opener and then barely came out on top against the New York Giants in a game in which 77 combined points were scored in Week 2.
Cowboys Defense Aims to Bounce Back Against Bears
Giving up 37 points against Russell Wilson and company is not a great look for Eberflus as he gets started with his new squad, but he might be able to bounce back with a vengeance if he can put the clamps on Williams in Week 3 in Chicago. It would be a massive win for Eberflus against his former team while also getting the Cowboys above .500.
All eyes will be on Eberflus and Williams heading into this Week 3 matchup in Chicago, as it will likely be the biggest storyline for these two teams looking to become a force to be reckoned with in the NFC this season.
There’s no better opportunity for the new Cowboys defensive coordinator to make a statement than against his former quarterback and the team that gave up on him following the embarrassing loss to the Lions last year.