Bears' Matt Eberflus, Caleb Williams headed in opposite directions

Three years after they did this dance with former coach Matt Nagy, the Bears are back in the same spot: Their season is beyond saving, and coach Matt Eberflus is headed toward the exit.

Eberflus already was on the brink, then he mishandled the clock in the final minute to derail the Bears’ comeback in their 23-20 loss Thursday to the Lions. He was a punchline as the clock ran out with a timeout still in his pocket.

Here’s a look at the key points of the latest disaster:

Eberflus’ flub

Incredibly, at the end of the game, the Bears ran only one play in the last 32 seconds. Quarterback Caleb Williams and the rest of the offense should’ve moved quicker, but Eberflus is in charge and failed to recognize he needed to call a timeout. With no action from his coach, Williams improvised the best he could.

H.I.T.S. crumbles

Even Eberflus’ supposed strengths aren’t shining anymore. The defense allowed the Lions to score on their first four possessions and to average 5.9 yards per play for the game. Defensive tackle Byron Cowart, defensive end Darrell Taylor and wide receiver Keenan Allen all committed costly, avoidable penalties.

Williams flourishes nonetheless

It’s remarkable that Williams keeps growing in spite of Eberflus, former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and other hindrances. For the third game in a row, he played very well against a strong defense. And the most important news: His knee is fine after a ‘‘funky’’ hit by linebacker Jack Campbell.