Three things we’re hearing from the Chicago Bears, including new coaching staff hires and the latest on Nate Davis’ injury

Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberfus spoke with reporters at Halas Hall on Monday and reflected on his team’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

In addition to Eberfus announcing that quarterback Justin Fields will be ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders with a thumb injury, here are three things we learned.

1. Bears hire analyst Phil Snow as senior defensive back.

Snow, who has coached in college and the NFL since 1979, will scout opponents ahead of time for the defensive coaching staff. Eberflus said Snow will report to coaches on Monday and Tuesday but will not coach on game days.

Snow served as the Carolina Panthers’ defensive coordinator under coach Matt Rule for the past three seasons until the Panthers fired him in October 2022 after Rule was fired. Snow served as the linebackers coach for the Detroit Lions from 2005-08.

He most recently served as college defensive coordinator at Baylor, Temple, Eastern Michigan, Washington, UCLA, Arizona State and Boise State.

Eberfus said he connected with Snow through Rod Marinelli, Eberfus’ mentor at the NFL Scouting Combine years ago. body work. Snow has experience in systems similar to the Eberflus program, but also has broad experience, he said.

“He’s a great guy,” Eberfluth said. “He’s very humble. He works well with others. “He gives sound advice and does a good job defensively. “

Eberflus said after the Week 5 game against the Washington Commanders that he plans to hire an analyst to help his staff. The Bears did not hire anyone to replace defensive coordinator Alan Williams after he resigned in Week 3 or promote a new coordinator from within, instead opting to let Eberflus take over the reins of the defensive game.

2. Right guard Nate Davis and cornerback Terrell Smith will miss some time.

Eberflus said Davis suffered a high ankle sprain on the Bears’ second offensive play when safety Josh Metellus threw a quick pass to Kari Boo on Fields. Khari Blasingame knocked down Fields. Metellus pushed Fields into Davis’ legs, and Davis had to be helped off the field.

The Bears replaced Davis with second-year pro Ja’Tair Carter. Carter started two games at right guard earlier this season as Davis grieved the death of his mother.

Eberflus ruled out Davis for Sunday’s game, and Smith is also ruled out because he has mononucleosis. Smith missed the Vikings game, and Eberflus said he could be out three to four weeks.

Smith started two games in place of Jaylen Johnson, who returned to the lineup after suffering a hamstring injury against the Vikings.

Eberfus did not have an update on left tackle Braxton Jones, who was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury. Jones has missed the four games required to return from IR.

3. Matt Eberflus says the Bears’ protection issues come down to “current execution.”

The Vikings had five sacks (including one with Fields injured) and eight quarterback hits. That pressure resulted in three Bears turnovers.

“These guys are ready,” Eberfluth said. “I just think we need to execute better right now. “We know they’re going to give us a lot of different looks and we need to make the right decisions at the line of scrimmage. “

Eberflus accounted for several plays, including the first play of the game when DJ Wonnum broke down the left wing and cleared Fields. Eberfus said Fields should drift to his right and then throw a quick pass to either Blassingame or DJ Moore, although Danielle Hunter tried to get past right tackle Darnell Wright. Fields’ right side.

Eberflus said Fields also should have gotten rid of the ball quicker in the game he was injured.

Fields’ interception came against Hunter, and running back Deontay Foreman ended up blocking Hunter one-on-one while Wright engaged Metellus on the outside. Fields’ pass floated into the arms of linebacker Jordan Hicks.

“For the most part, we always want to be able to have our bigs block the bigs and then our guards block the perimeter guys,” Eberflus said. “That’s what happened to that person.”

The Bears made a change at center late in the game, with Lucas Patrick replacing Cody Whitehair.

Eberfus pointed to Patrick’s experience at center as a reason for the decision. Whitehair, an eight-year NFL veteran, has been the Bears’ starting center the past few seasons but has been at left guard this season in Tevin Jenkins’ absence.

Patrick moved to center midway through the Commander game when he entered the concussion protocol. The Whitehead had some poor performance on Sunday, although Eberflus denied after the game that it played a role in the conversion.

“Lucas came in because we wanted to install (backup quarterback) Tyson (Bagent), and it was good to do that,” Eberflus said. “I think it did calm him down a little bit. Again, (Patrick has) more experience.”