Bears' loss to Cowboys & Matt Eberflus could implode their entire season

As for Apocalyptic scenarios, it couldn't get any worse than this for Chicago Bears fans:

"Matt Eberflus returns to Chicago and beats Ben Johnson."

As for his appearance at Soldier Field Sunday for the first time since being abruptly fired as head coach by the Bears after Thanksgiving last season, the Cowboys' defensive coordinator told what just has to be a fib to the media this week in Dallas.

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Said Eberflus with a straight face, "I haven't thought about it."

Well, everyone else has.

And Eberflus' presence is just one of the many reasons why the direction of the Bears' season - and Johnson's reputation - will be hanging in the balance Sunday afternoon. Johnson is - even at 0-2 - the innovative genius brought to Chicago to save the Bears and repair the damage done to quarterback Caleb Williams by Eberflus. If Eberflus - even as only an assistant - shows up and beats his former team, it would be more than just another loss.

The Bears would be 0-3. Johnson will have lost games to his former boss (Dan Campbell) and his predecessor (Eberflus). Fiery questions about Johnson and Williams and general manager Ryan Poles might just implode the season before we get to October.

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Eberflus went 14-32 as Bears head coach. His embarrassing clock mismanagement on Thanksgiving cost him his job. Now he's back, but with a wobbly Cowboys' defense fresh off allowing 506 yards and 37 points to a New York Giants' offense led by past-his-prime Russell Wilson.

"We're keeping our process and our preparation the same," Eberflus said about returning to coach against his former team, "as we always do."

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Eberflus is exaggeratedly downplaying his return to Soldier Field. If the Bears don't beat him Sunday, there will nothing subtle or muted about the aftermath.

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus on the sidelines during the game against the Cowboys in 2022. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

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