Matt Eberflus is counting on his memories to save the season.

After the match, in his interview with the players, he stressed that they could turn the season around by always relying on their past.

“We have to take a hard look at everything we do and play good complementary football,” Eberflus said.

The two big early plays from the defense and special teams set up their offense.

“We have to do a good job of capitalizing on these things to build momentum early on,” Eberflus said. “The big thing I told the players is I said we have recorded evidence of this.

“It would be different if you had no proof. We have proof. It’s the same guys in the room, the same guys in the circle. So it’s important that we find a way to make this happen.”

They did it, but those three weeks against a struggling team seem so long ago now. A team that can’t beat New England despite starting the game in Chicago by making a big mistake is likely headed for a disappointing losing season.

The future is what’s important, as well as what was good, bad and ugly about the Bears’ loss on Sunday.

DeAndre Carter

His 38-yard punt return should have resulted in at least a field goal. They squandered it.

Also give credit to his blockers on the play as they put up a perfect wall along the sideline for him to run behind.

It was such a well-executed play that it didn’t seem possible that a team could do it and also look as bad as they did in the entire game.

TJ Edwards interception

Edwards made a key interception in the second quarter and also made a decisive third-down stop on Drake Maye with an ankle tackle just as the Patriots QB began approaching the line of scrimmage during a scrimmage, forcing a punt. Edwards’ production was so good that it was surprising compared to what others have done.

IDEAL POINT FOR A BEARS COACHING REPLACEMENT IF NOTHING CHANGES

NINE BAGS CAUGHT FROM CALEB WILLIAMS MANY LOSSES

FANS SING “FIRE FLUS” IN BEARS’ MISERABLE 19-3 LOSS TO PATRIOTS

The last gun

It didn’t come fast enough, but it finally happened.

Caleb Williams

He’s not labeled in the “ugly” category for his efforts in one game when he was hounded by the Patriots defense for nine sacks. It was largely not his fault. There were probably only two or three sacks resulting specifically from him holding the ball too long.

Williams receives the “bad” label specifically for being sacked out of field goal range in the first quarter after it happened to him multiple times. Each time he said he couldn’t let this happen. And then each time he started again.

In this case, he had plenty of time to throw the ball and still didn’t, tempting fate.

The Bears need touchdowns, it’s true. At this point, any method would be a significant improvement and he shouldn’t be fooled by recklessly trying to get the first down. Humbly take Cairo Santos’ work next time.

Bears offensive line

Giving them an “ugly” wouldn’t be fair because of the injuries they had. They finished with 40 percent of the offensive line starters on the field and used a combination no one could have imagined with backup center Doug Kramer playing guard.

At least it kept Kramer busy and away from the fullback role.

Teven Jenkins’ ankle injury, combined with the knee injury he suffered earlier in the week, will make it difficult for the Bears to justify a huge contract offer. The best ability is availability, but you really have to admire him for being drained this year due to rib injuries, ankle injuries, knee injuries and now ankle injuries again.

When you’re already playing a line with two subs, it takes as much preparation time as possible. No matter how much preparation they did, they were then forced over the fence after having to change the lineup again with Kramer at guard.

There’s a reason guys are backups and don’t start.

Description of Cole Kmet

In the locker room afterward, tight end Cole Kmet used the word “funk” to describe the Bears’ offense’s inability to move the ball against the Patriots.

Fans in attendance also had four-letter words to describe him. Some even shouted something that began with the same letters as the word Kmet and variations of that word. Some didn’t say anything because they were simply stunned and plunged into total silence by what they were watching.

The Bears’ offense looked like electric cars in the Chicago area the last time a polar vortex passed through the region in the dead of winter.

They haven’t started. Just a piece of dead metal.

WR screens from Shane Waldron

They are not working and will soon send DJ Moore to the hospital. The blockage is horrible for them. Equanimeous St. Brown was blocking such plays under Luke Getsy, but neither is there anymore. Maybe try transmitting it on the ground instead. Just a thought.

Shane Waldron’s play call

Before, he’d done a play or two that had everyone scratching their heads or shouting insults.

Now it looks like he broke it and he doesn’t know how to make it work again. Amazon does not deliver for you during the season. It’s your offense and you broke it.

Shane Waldron’s offense

This was against a Patriots defense ranked 24th in the league, not Bill Belichick’s defenses.

The last time the Patriots held someone to 142 yards on offense was, well, not that long ago.

In 2022, the Patriots did it in a back-to-back week, holding the Colts and Jets to 10. The coaches of those two teams are no longer with the organizations.

The HITS principle by Matt Eberflus

Coaches hold the Bears to a strict grade based on hustle, intensity, takeaways or turnovers and smart play. This is called the Eberflus HITS principle.

Maybe they should change it to Principle W and just worry about winning.

Twitter: BearsOnSI