Bears HC Matt Eberflus defends not taking time off for botched final play in Thanksgiving loss to Lions

“Our hope was that we would restart the game after 18 seconds, throw it in, get into field goal range and then call timeout because it was third (down) before fourth down,” said the Bears head coach. “There it was and that was our decision-making process. Again, we were out of field goal range, so we had to get a few more yards in as close as we could, and then we proceeded to call a timeout, and that’s why we called that last timeout.”

Eberflus added: “I like what we did there. Again, once it’s under 12 (seconds), you’re going to take a timeout there, you have no other choice. … I think we handled it the right way. “I do think you replay the play, put it in play and then call the timeout, and it didn’t work out the way we wanted.

Williams got the Bears into the starting lineup with about 13 seconds left, but the quarterback told reporters after the game that he made a play adjustment just before that moment.

“I ended up changing the play,” Williams explained, “because the play we had, it was 13 seconds — every play with 13 seconds left out of it… Well, we had a timeout, but in this situation it was 13 .” Seconds, call and try to grab it and take a photo.

The final pass sailed to Rome Odunze as he neared the 5-yard line, but he was far from finished. Williams further explained what happened after he was fired.

“In this situation we had a call. I answered the call and tried to get the guys back. I was focused on making sure everyone got back and lined up,” Williams said. “I know we don’t have much time left and that’s why I’m trying to get everyone back. I don’t have a microphone to talk to the coach or anything, so there wasn’t a lot of communication in that situation. You.” If you get a call during that time, you have to try to get the guys back and get everyone lined up, so you go into the game. We lined up, got the play and then I made an adjustment because I saw the clock ticking down that if we complete an inbounds ball or something like that, we’re not going to have time, a field To shoot a goal or something similar. So I made an adjustment and knew that Rome would either play one-on-one or he would get past the security and be there one-on-one. I tried to give him a chance, but we got the chance and missed.”