The Bears will file a compliant to the NFL after their game-losing field goal block against the Packers over the weekend, coach Matt Eberflus revealed Monday.
Chicago lost in a heartbreaker to their NFC North rivals when Cairo Santos’ 46-yard attempt was blocked by Green Bay’s Karl Brooks as time expired.
However, Eberflus believes the play should’ve been flagged for illegal contact on Chicago’s long snapper Scott Daly, and said his team will be taking the matter up with the league.
‘We’ll turn the play in,’ he told reporters. ‘They were on our long-snapper, so we’ll turn the play in and see what the league said. We saw them making direct contact with him right away.’
As per NFL rules, it’s considered unnecessary contact if a long-snapper is touched by a kick blocker within one second of the snap if his head is down.
The Bears lost a heartbreaker on Sunday as Cairo Santos’ field goal attempt was blocked
It did appear that the Packers made contact with Chicago long snapper Karl Brooks (center)
ESPN’s Pat McAfee also pointed out that Green Bay’s Lukas Van Ness pushed the pile from behind
As seen in video of the blocked field goal, Daly’s head was certainly down when Packers defenders got to him, with contact happening right after the snap.
ESPN’s Pat McAfee also expressed skepticism that the play was legal, writing on X, ‘I don’t know if this blocked field goal was legal. If I’m a Chicago Bears fan I’m certainly asking some questions.
He added on his eponymous show, ‘Not only did they go right over the top of the center, they also pushed.’
McAfee then pointed out Green Bay’s Lukas Van Ness pushing the pile from behind.
Even if the NFL finds that the Packers should have been flagged on the play, the painstaking result won’t be changed for the Bears.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus addresses media following the team’s fourth straight loss
Prior to the game, following their Week 10 loss to the Patriots, the Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.
Bears fans were also upset with Eberflus after the team’s loss to Green Bay, with many disagreeing with his decision not to run another play and try to get in position for a shorter field goal before Santos’ attempt.
With the team now 4-6 after drafting quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall and adding Keenan Allen, Eberflus’ job could be in jeopardy as well.
