Texans 19, Bears 13
MATT EBERFLUS: Obviously we're all disappointed address in the loss, and we should be. But I told the guys in there that the NFL it's how you respond that matters. You don't have a lot time to do that.
Again, this is going to hurt for 24 hours and we need to look at the tape on the plane, look at it tomorrow. We come in a little bit later. Get with your coach and get with the meetings and make sure that we make the corrections needed to win a football game.
What I was most proud of is that the guys fought all the way to the end. We had ourselves a chance to win the game to the last possession.
So, again, didn't get that done. My hat's off to Houston and the way they operated there. They won the game today.
But if you look at it, obviously we have seven sacks. The offensive line, everybody is going to talk about those types of things. I believe protection is everybody. Protection is the tight ends, runners, offensive line, it's the quarterback; it's everybody involved.
So we got to do a really good job with that. And taking a look at that. You know, in terms of running the ball we obviously want to run the ball better than we did.
It was okay but not good enough. Not good enough. We got to establish the run game. I think that's always a good friend to a young quarterback when you can do that.
I was also proud of the defense. The defense played well. Had some big chunk plays in the first half. Too bad we gave up the 2nd and 24. Really a good play designed by them.
You know, we had them where we wanted them there and they got out of that one. And then the fumble, giving us a chance to win it at the very end. Those third down stops, the way they played in the second half I think was really good as well.
Again, I told them we win as a team and lose as a team. I know that's an old coaching cliche, but it's so true. The only way to win in this business is to do it together.
So we'll be making sure everybody stays together, which they will, and believing in each other and trusting in each other and getting back to work and responding the right ways.
Q. Were you satisfied with the challenge operation getting down from whoever looks at it to give it to you? Seemed like both those plays took a quick review to discourage the challenge.
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, we have a good process for that. You know, it's a little bit different when you can't see the monitor right away. It's a critical play like a third down or a take away.
So we do put a little bit more weight on those up we have a great process.
Q. How do you stick with that? How do you clean that up to make sure the challenges go in the right direction?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, we've been pretty clean since we've been here. Those were situations where we didn't get a great look and they were critical downs up we made a decision to do it and didn't work out that time.
Q. With the penalties, what do you emphasize with the guys when those are coming out of the time out, the two false starts that came out of a time out? What do you emphasize ti the guys in those situations?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, just got to be aware of the clock. Got to be aware of the clock and have good operation get the being out of the huddle.
Just be better there. That's all you can do.
Q. What's your concern level in the number of times Caleb is getting hit?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, like I said it's a protection thing, it's an everybody thing. Got to do a great job with the tight ends, O-line, backs, rhythm and timing on the passes up, what's the play design in terms of getting the ball out; his reads and all that.
Again, it's everybody. We got to clean that up.
Q. Does his sense of when to throw it away and how to avoid the intentional grounding calls need to improve? Is that an experience thing?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, I mean, like we had in the onset, Caleb has to improve every single week and he's going to get those experiences and exposers as we go through this and just get better.
That's one the things he can work on. Again, he's going to do that this week.
Q. A lot of the guys on the line were saying that the lack of being able to get god running plays and get into short third down yardage kind of led to some of that stuff, because you know the Texans are going to pin their ears back there. Is that how you saw it?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, that's what we do on defense, too. We had some good distances for us on the defense as well. They were doing the same thing. Stopping the run on first down and getting them into longer distances.
That's what you want to do when you're designed as a four-man pass rush group. Then you can dial some pressures up or all pass down, which you can do those things. That's why the run game is so important, to be able to really solidify that and get that as a foundation going forward.
Q. On Keenan, what is your evaluation of his heel going forward?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, we thought he could make it to the game and potentially work out. That didn't happen. We'll see where it is coming here in the next couple days.
Q. Been any better because of the rest?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, I'll have to ask the guys. I think it's where it was. I can say that.
But we'll see where it is going forward.
Q. DJ talked about the offense having a potentially missing piece right now. What do you think that piece is as you're trying to figure out how to get this unit on track?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, it's continuity, playing together, working to get the ball moving down the field in a positive way.
Those guys are going to be working diligently to get that done. So I feel really good about the men in the locker room on all sides of the ball, offense, defense, kicking, and I feel great about the offensive staff. Those guys are going to find solutions to be able to get better every single week.
That's what the process is.
Q. You mentioned the Collins' touchdown on 2nd and 24. Do you have a sense for what sprung that for them?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, I mean, he's a good player. I mean, really good player. He got right behind our linebackers and into the second part of the coverage. He just took it in there.
So, again, I could have called a better call. Wasn't crazy about the call. But, yeah, so we still fought back and had a chance.
Q. Coach, last week defense (indiscernible) the time in the second half. This week against a pretty good offense they hold them to a touchdown, four long field goals. Do you still feel like you can lean on the defense until the offense finds their way, and what does that look like in terms of complementary football you may have to do offensively?
MATT EBERFLUS: I'd said this many times and it's part of that saying that I say, is that you have to play well around a rookie quarterback. So who is that? Well, that's the line, tight ends, backs, receivers; it's defense, stout defense that can keep the score down; and then special teams that can make good plays and flip the field and score points, which Cairo had another good day scoring points. Tory had another good day punting. I think 47 average; had a long couple inside the 20.
Those are all good things for us going forward.
Q. You talk about besides pass protection is everyone. Tight ends, running backs you want to see a little bit better blocking there? Is it scheme? What else do you want to see?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, it's everything. It would be a play-by-play basis. Have to look at the tape. Sometimes the backs are chipping and sometimes the tight ends are actually blocking or chipping.
So it's everybody. Sometimes the back has the blitzy linebacker, whatever that might be. That's why it's everybody. Then it is also the quarterback to be able to feel it and get out like a couple times he did, or throw the ball out quicker.
Again, you have to go case by case and look at each play.
Q. Is your protection good enough for you to be able to evaluate Caleb during the course of a game in terms of whether he got better from last week?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, you're always wanting protection to be firmer and better of course, but we played against two good ends today. They had two good ends that are really good. Danielle is a heck of a player. Will is a heck of a player. Great motor. Those guys are in the top 10 pass rushers in the league for sure.
So it was a big challenge for us. But, again, we needed to be firmer and be better in protection, everybody.
Q. How are you coaching Caleb to handle the pressure in the pocket? You guys want him to stay in the pocket, but when it's coming from every point, what do you want him to do?
MATT EBERFLUS: Yeah, there were -- there are certain points where I think he did a really good job riding up in the pocket and making some good throws, so some really good positives there to look at. Then also he was able to evade the rush a couple times and get on the perimeter a couple times.
Then he has to be careful with the football after he get out there when he throws the ball in a scramble drill. So great learning moments there for him in terms of the pressure that you're talking about, of what to do and when to do it.
We'll look at the tape and get those things corrected.
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