Jayden Daniels calls it God’s gift. Mike Greenberg calls this Matt Eberfluss.
Chicago’s head coach told reporters after the Washington Commanders saw off his Bears in spectacular fashion Sunday that the play that preceded the game-winning, buzz-inducing Hail Mary “really didn’t matter.”
“That’s one of the five dumbest things I’ve ever heard a man say in my entire life, in any context,” Greenberg told the “Wake Up” crew Monday morning.
Prior’s play, an unprotected 13-yard out route, set up the winning play, leaving “Get Up” analysts as mystified as the host.
Damian Woody looked up at the ceiling in silent disbelief, unable to put his assessment into words.
Rex Ryan fumbled with a fake-comprehension before throwing it to former quarterback Dan Orlowski.
“Dan, is it easier to throw the ball 50 to 60 yards or 80 yards?” Ryan asks.
Greenberg withdraws the conversation before responding to Arlovski, although the camera follows Woody, who has risen from his chair and is now walking around the studio.
“If he says those 15 yards don’t matter … those 15 yards cost every bit the game like a Hail Mary at the end. [did]Greenberg said.
With six seconds on the clock and Washington back to their own 35, Commanders quarterback Daniels hit Terry McClarin on a short out route and advanced the ball to midfield.
There was not a single defender within 15 yards of McClure as the Bears rushed four men on the quarterback when he made the catch and dropped seven remaining defenders down-field to prevent the touchdown.
Even with these “blocking” plans, the “Get Up” crew points out that most units put some defensive presence on the flanks to make this precision game at least somewhat challenging; While Daniels struggles with his rib injury, even at full health, he can’t reach the end zone on a Hail Mary attempt.
But that 13-yarder made new sense at range and he delivered. The ball traveled 65 yards in the air before landing near the goal line, where it bounced back into the hands of Noah Brown, who was standing alone because of the stunning breakdown of the Bears’ defense.
The rest, as they say, is history. Greenberg thinks Eberflus should be, too.
“I heard the coach say that if I owned the team, after the game, I would have serious, serious conversations with people about whether he was qualified to be the head coach of a National Football League team,” he said.
The Bears (4-3) will bounce back next Sunday against the Cardinals. The Commanders (6-2) travel to MetLife Stadium to face the Giants in Week 9.
