Bears Hot Seat Watch: Where Matt Eberflus, Shane Waldron stand in Week 10

The Chicago Bears (4-4) find themselves at a critical point in their 2024 season after a two-game losing streak off the bye week. Things appeared to be trending in the right direction with a three-game win streak and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams shining. But things have quickly started falling apart, which included some players openly criticizing the decision making of the coaches.

Now, head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron find themselves on the hot seat, in some regard, following what's been a brutal past two games coming off the bye week.

Whether Eberflus and Waldron last through the entire season or beyond, one month, two weeks or one game remains to be seen. But we'll be following along the entire way. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the coolest and 10 the hottest seat, here's a look at where Eberflus and Waldron's seats stand heading into Week 10.

HC Matt Eberflus

Week 10 heat meter: 7/10

Following the Hail Mary catastrophe in Week 8, all eyes were on Eberflus' team and how they would respond in a winnable matchup against the Cardinals. While it's never easy to win on the road -- and there were some key injuries to starters -- the Bears beat themselves in their Week 9 loss. They looked unprepared and undisciplined, which falls back on the head coach. It looked like the team gave up at times, whether it was DJ Moore walking off the field in the middle of a play in the first quarter (which was later said to have been an injury that he did return from) or allowing a 56-yard rushing touchdown with four seconds left in the first half. Eberflus is now 3-18 on the road, including 0-18 in road games on Sundays.

During the team's three-game winning streak, it seemed they had turned the corner and would compete for a playoff spot. But things completely fell apart after a week of rest. Since the bye week, the team has been in shambles, another mark against Eberflus, who is 0-3 in games coming off the bye. The offense has been atrocious, scoring just one touchdown and averaging just 12 points per game, and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has been beaten up behind a makeshift offensive line. The defense was Eberflus' saving grace, but even that unit fell off in last week's loss, allowing a season-high 29 points, the first time they had allowed more than 21 points in 14 games. The Bears have never fired a head coach midseason, and that's not likely to change. But it's safe to say Eberflus' seat is getting hot, and it could get much worse in the short-term future.

OC Shane Waldron

Week 10 heat meter: 7/10

Essentially, Waldron's fate is tied to Eberflus' and vice versa. If Waldron is fired, Eberflus won't get another chance to hire a third offensive coordinator. Things seemed to turn a corner for Waldron during the team's three-game win streak, where they scored 71 points and five touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time in 50 years. But since the bye week, the wheels have fallen off and the offense has mustered just 24 points and one touchdown. There's been speculation among the media about a potential change at play caller, but Eberflus said that won't be the case.

The most important aspect is the development of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and Waldron hasn't done his part in protecting Williams, who's been sacked 29 times, which is the fourth-most in the NFL. While Waldron isn't responsible for assembling this offensive line, he can counteract the unit's shortcomings with quick, easy throws to get his young quarterback into a rhythm and keep the Bears out of third-and-long situations. Waldron also needs to utilize tight end Cole Kmet, who has been targeted just one time in the last two games, including none in their most recent loss. Kmet has proven to be a reliable target for Williams, and not getting him involved is unacceptable. Rookie receiver Rome Odunze, coming off his second 100-yard game this season, also needs to be more involved.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears Hot Seat Watch: Matt Eberflus, Shane Waldron in Week 10