Indianapolis – In a move that wasn’t a surprise to many that were paying close attention, Colts Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus will leave Indy and head to Chicago to be the Bears Head Coach.
Former Colts’ defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is being hired as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 27, 2022
Most of the time when losing a coach fans are upset because that means they performed well at their job. However, a majority of Colts fans are seemingly happy to see Eberflus move on.
Given the reports Matt Eberflus is the next HC in Chicago do you feel better, or worse about the future defense in Indy? @KineticoIndy QOTD.
— JMV1070 (@JMV1070) January 27, 2022
Statistically the Colts have been a top defense since he took over in 2018. 9th in defensive efficiency, 10th in points per game allowed, 10th in yard per game allowed, and 11th in QBR allowed. So why are fans ready to see him go? 3 double digit blown leads in 2021 to Tampa Bay, Tennessee, and Baltimore left a sour taste in fans mouths as well as the breakdowns in the 4th quarter in other close games.
Why were the Colts 2-5 in one-score games this season? It wasn’t all on Wentz + the offense.
A deep dive into Matt Eberflus’ defense, including the alarming numbers on this chart: https://t.co/deu1Vg0DpL pic.twitter.com/hQiuzN1K0U
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 18, 2022
One player that thrived under the zone heavy scheme was LB Darius Leonard. Leonard was able to be a turnover forcing machine with his eyes on the QB and keeping ball carriers in front of him for forced fumble opportunities. JMV let his audience know that while a change might be for the best, fans should still be nervous about possible side effects:
“There is a gamble here. When you look at it, the defense has been ranked 10th, it’s just been a mess in late game situations. The only redeeming quality of this defense for the most part has been the playmaking ability of a linebacker. How much of that has been tied to Matt Eberflus?”
To hear more thoughts on how this move changes things for the Colts next year and a couple names to keep an eye out for to fill the job, listen to JMV on the podcast below!
