We’ll have full coverage of the introductory presser this afternoon.

Last week my attempts to go 8-8 on point spreads and over/unders failed, as I came in a measly 5-8. (I was 13 seconds from a triumphant 6-8.) This week I smell a 4-4. Do you?

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AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs (-7), Over/Under 54.5

• The Bengals should not have beaten the Raiders. The Bengals would not have beaten the Titans if Ryan Tannehill showed up. This is a different animal, in a different environment. Chiefs win by multiple touchdowns, making the -7 an easy play.
• Not overthinking it. The Chiefs are playing. Over.

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NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (-3.5), Over/Under 45.5

• The Rams have had huge leads in their last three games and failed to sufficiently close two of them. Does this team have a killer instinct? They’ll need one against a Niners teams that is finding ways to win every week without the services of a quarterback. Rams play their most complete game of the year and cover the -3.5.
• These teams have played twice. First meeting total was 41, with the Rams only scoring 10. Second meeting, the Rams blew a big lead to the total of 51. Kyle Shanahan has dominated his matchups with Sean McVay, so it’s unlikely the Rams will shut down the Niners offense. That puts both teams in the 20s, and that means I’m slamming the over.

Ryan Poles has selected Matt Eberflus as the next head coach of the Chicago Bears. It was met as quite the surprise inside Halas Hall, where the hiring committee was equally split between the Jim Caldwell (Polian/George) and Dan Quinn (Ted/the rest) candidacies. This was a Poles – and Poles only – hire.

• General point: Eberflus has earned this opportunity. And now he is tasked with building the offensive staff to guide Justin Fields through his career.
  • The early rumor for offensive coordinator is Eagles passing game coordinator Kevin Patulo, who will jump as the chance to coordinate a passing attack for a quarterback that can throw.
  • One must believe Poles made this hire the central topic of the lengthy interview process. There are plenty of solid names to choose from – Darrell Bevell, Jim Caldwell, Mike Kafka, etc. – but it’s unlikely the choice hasn’t already been made.
• Eberflus has experience in a wide variety of defensive systems, ranging from Rob Ryan’s blitz-heavy schemes to Monte Kiffin’s Cover-2. This tidbit on his Wikipedia page is of interest: “In 2013, with Monte Kiffin replacing Rob Ryan as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2013, Eberflus was integral in assisting the team’s transition to a 4-3 scheme, alongside Rod Marinelli. Marinelli said he was impressed with Eberflus the first time he met him in 2013 in Dallas and credited Eberflus with the successful transition from Ryan’s 3-4 defense to the 4-3 (and recently called Eberflus “one of my favorites”).^[7] The linebacker corps did not miss a beat, with Sean Lee logging 123 tackles (95 solo) on the season and a team-high four interceptions, all despite missing five games due to injury. Bruce Carter produced from the weakside linebacker position, tallying 122 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and three passes defensed.”

Read More …

Matt Eberflus, who will be the Bears' next head coach, was the team's first finalist in their coaching search.

He met with Ryan Poles approximately 24 hours after Poles reached a deal to become GM.

Eberflus' 2nd interview on Wednesday was scheduled before Poles' deal was done.

— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) January 27, 2022

The @Chiefs have nothing but good things to say about Ryan Poles. 🙌

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) January 26, 2022

Now we wait to see if Ryan Poles hires from the three finalists or expands the head coach search.

Highlights include:

• The process to hire a new GM worked. Details included.
• Why Jim Harbaugh is no longer in play.
• The work done on Ryan Poles once he wowed in the initial interview.
• In defense of Dan Quinn as the prospective next head coach.
• Poor, poor Dan Wiederer.

While the process the Chicago Bears used to find their next general manager was criticized locally, the results gave them perhaps the top candidate on the market in Ryan Poles.

Every team seems to look for something different when it comes to GMs, so the fact that Poles was a finalist for three different jobs in the same offseason is somewhat incredible. While the Giants seemed to have pinpointed Buffalo’s Joe Schoen from the start, Poles still managed to earn a second interview there. Minnesota cast a fairly wide net and Poles was thought to be the favorite until the Bears scooped him up. (Poles was also a finalist with the Carolina Panthers last offseason, with owner David Tepper always seeming to want to create some buzz.)

And then there’s the Bears.

Maybe the best indication of the impression new Bears GM Ryan Poles has made with teams—he’s interviewed for 4 GM jobs over the last 12 months (Panthers last year; Bears, Vikings, Giants this year), and he’s been a finalist for all of them.

Which is why Chicago moved fast today.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 25, 2022

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The process included at least 15 interviews and an unknown number of feelers. The team owned by geriatrics used technology to move through the process and came away with the same conclusion as the aforementioned clubs: Poles is a stud.

Now Poles has to make possibly his most important decision. He has to hire a head coach. He’ll have to consider how to get the most out of a young quarterback, while also being sure he has someone who commands respect in the locker room. We will see what happens in the coming days.

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Bears are finalizing a deal to hire Chiefs’ Assistant Director of Player Personnel Ryan Poles as their next general manager, per league sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 25, 2022