Shane Waldron’s decision to give Chicago Bears offensive guard Doug Kramer the ball at the Washington one-yard line was universally criticized on social media. (Maybe he had no other options after the Bears released fullback Khari Blasingame on Friday?)
The Bears struggled to points up on the board against the Commanders early in the game. Chicago’s first score came on a 56-yard run by D’Andre Swift in the third quarter. Part of the reason why the Bears couldn’t put up points had to do with injuries to the offensive line. Braxton Jones, Teven Jenkins, and Bill Murray sustained injuries on Sunday.
For whatever reason, Waldron decided to make a healthy offensive guard eligible for a third-and-one play from the Washington one-yard line with 6:21 to play in the fourth quarter with the Bears trailing 12-7. The first-year Bears offensive coordinator put the ball in the hands of a six-foot-one, 300-pound sixth-round pick in 2022. The result was Kramer putting the ball on the ground for Washington defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton to recover.
Waldron might have thought he was paying his respects to “William the Refrigerator Perry,” but the botched carry cost the Bears a chance to take the lead late in the game when the offense hadn’t been reliable up to that point.
Chicago Bears HC Matt Eberflus defended Shane Waldron
Following the Bears 18-15 loss, Matt Eberflus defended Waldron’s decision for a stupid reason.
Via Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times:
Bears coach Matt Eberflus: “I know there’s going to be a lot of questions about the Doug Kramer play.” Correct. Eberflus says he was on board with Shane Waldron’s logic in handing off to an offensive lineman with the game on the line. “It’s a one-yard play,” he says.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus: “I know there’s going to be a lot of questions about the Doug Kramer play.”
Correct.
Eberflus says he was on board with Shane Waldron's logic in handing off to an offensive lineman with the game on the line.
"It's a one-yard play," he says.
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) October 28, 2024
It didn’t matter if the Bears needed one or ten yards, Waldron didn’t need to get cute on a play Chicago needed to convert. That’s sort of play to call when the team is up a few touchdowns. If the Bears don’t think a running back can get a yard, they need to sign a fullback that can get the job done. (By the way, Roschon Johnson would score on a one-yard touchdown run on the next drive.)
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