Chicago Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown defended his late-game decisions after the team’s loss on Thursday night. The Bears were trailing 6-3 and facing fourth-and-inches with 2:14 left in the game, but instead of punting, they lined up to go for it. However, a false start penalty brought up fourth-and-5, prompting Brown to send the punting team out before calling a timeout to reconsider.
Brown stated that he was not confused and simply changed his mind, saying “I just changed my mind and said Let’s go for it now.” The decision allowed the Bears to convert the first down, but also resulted in wasting a timeout at a critical moment. Brown attributed this to wanting “cleaner communication” with his team.
However, the decision not to trust his kicker to attempt a 58-yard field goal and instead going for it on fourth-and-5 was met with skepticism. Additionally, the decision to go without running the ball to try to gain more yards was also questioned. Brown cited the Seahawks’ zero coverage defense as the reason for this play call.
Brown’s explanations did little to alleviate concerns about his ability to manage late-game situations effectively. The Bears will be looking for a head coach who can put quarterback Caleb Williams in a better position to win games, particularly in critical situations.
Source: https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/thomas-brown-defends-late-fourth-down-decisions-i-wasnt-confused-just-changed-my-mind