As Matt Eberflus settles into his role as defensive play caller with improving results, it’s worth wondering how things have shifted — or if they have — since he took over for coordinator Alan Williams in Week 2.

Familiar issues remain for the Chicago Bears (2-5), who enter Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) at SoFi Stadium having won two of their last three games. They struggle to get after the opposing quarterback, which could be problematic against Justin Herbert.

Eight of their 10 sacks (which ranks 31st ahead of only the Houston Texans’ nine) have come in the last three games. Five were against the Washington Commanders’ Sam Howell, who has been sacked a league-high 40 times. Howell is not on pace to set an NFL record for sacks in a season (76, David Carr, 2002 Texans), he’s on track to smash it. At the current rate, he will be sacked 97 times because he lacks an internal clock once the ball is snapped.

Four of the Bears’ six interceptions have come in the last three games. All but one of the six (against Howell) came against a backup quarterback — take them when you can get them.

The Bears have allowed only 44 points in the last three games and four touchdowns and they’ve also limited opponents to 29.4% on third down in that span, which ranks third in the league. They have allowed 40 explosive plays (passes for 15 yards or more and runs of 10-plus yards), the 13th most in the league. In the last three weeks, there have been only nine, which ranks No. 2.

It’s a huge turnaround. Since the start of last season, the Bears’ defensive issues have been a little overlooked at times with a hyperfocus on the organization’s ongoing quarterback issues.

What has shifted under Eberflus, one of six head coaches to call defenses for his team?

“Flus does a good job of hearing what his players want and trying to include that with the game plan,” defensive tackle Justin Jones said. “That is the only thing I would say is different.”

The blitz rate has ticked up a bit of late. The Bears have pressured with five or more rushers 22.6% of the time since Week 2, which ranks 20th. That rate is 28.1% over the last three weeks, middle of the pack leaguewide at 15th. It has led to only modest results. The Bears’ pressure rate in six games with Eberflus calling plays is 22.6% (30th) and it’s 23.7% (26th) in the last three games.

So it’s not as if turning linebackers and member of the secondary loose has made a dramatic difference. But Eberflus has been pushing the right buttons, and the numbers hint at things trending in the right direction even when you consider the degree of difficulty facing Howell and the Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders backups Brian Hoyer and Aidan O’Connell, along with talented Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins minus his best receiver, Justin Jefferson.

“Flus is starting to get to know the guys he has and we’re starting to get to know him,” said defensive end DeMarcus Walker, alluding to the major personnel changes the team had in the front seven to begin the season. “It’s really cohesive. That’s been a big element, he and us getting comfortable with his play calling and we’re talking through all the week and even on game day on the sideline. It’s pretty consistent.”

Coverages on the back end remain the same. The Bears are playing more Cover-2 than anything else, but just more than Cover-3 and one man, so they’re mixing it up and, of course, the game plan is going to shift a little depending on the opponent.

“For me, just seeing him all those years in Indy, it kind of feels the same,” linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi said. “It’s both the execution and the call. He’s got a great feel for in-game calling. It’s made a real difference.”

One minor shift is the Bears have moved to using dime personnel — six defensive backs — since Eberflus took over. They’ve used more man coverage and pressed a little more. That’s probably a small part of the success on third down, which was a disaster last year and through the first month of this season.

“Overall, it’s just the guys that are coming together,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “I don’t think that he’s really changed too much. The plan, the mission has been the same. I know we made some adjustments on third down but I feel like other than that, just the attitude of the guys, the execution that we’re playing at is a lot different these last few games.”

Linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards are fitting in nicely and playing off the linemen, a big reason why the defense ranks fifth in run defense allowing 82.3 yards per game, nearly half from a year ago at 157.3. Is much as the Bears were hammered for not stopping the run in 2022, this is a significant improvement, and nose tackle Andrew Billings has been a positive addition.

Injuries throughout the secondary — and the lack of a pass rush — are primary reasons the defense is allowing 257.1 passing yards per game, 29th in the league. There’s room for improvement, and the Bears are encouraged by the development of rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson knowing he’s going to have ups and downs playing on an island.

Rookie tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens haven’t provided a lot for the pass rush and that is an area to keep an eye on in the second half of the season. Can they begin to make more plays as they gain experience?

The Chargers with Herbert, wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back Austin Ekeler present a good challenge to see if a young defense can continue to perform at a consistent level, which would be a positive sign especially with how the schedule for the remainder of the season sets up.

“I would just say it’s really teamwork,” Eberflus said. “Really is. Working together, having that continuity. I believe getting the secondary pieces back really helps us in terms of coverage variation, matchups, being able to process through that as coaches and players. We’re just working through that.”

Scouting report

Quentin Johnston, Chargers wide receiver

Information for this report was obtained from NFL scouts.

Quentin Johnston, 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, is in his first season after the Chargers selected him with the No. 21 pick out of TCU. Johnston caught 60 passes for 1,069 yards, 17.8 average) and six touchdowns last season and two years after setting a Big 12 Conference record by averaging 22.1 yards per catch.

The rookie is off to a slow start as he has only seven receptions on 15 targets for 64 yards. He has only two catches for 38 yards over the last three games as the Chargers seek a replacement for Mike Williams, who is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee.

“They drafted him because (offensive coordinator) Kellen Moore came in and the biggest thing I saw, they had this quarterback with rare physical tools who they made into a West Coast thrower,” the scout said. “Unders, ball out quick, using some boot, some play action, attacking the middle of the field. They were not explosive enough because you have Keenan Allen. He’s like the next Larry Fitzgerald. He can get open, make plays for you, move the sticks. Elite coverage awareness but not an explosive player. Mike Williams, contrary to everyone’s opinion, is a boundary X who is not an explosive player. He’s a fade-ball guy. They needed someone who can catch the ball on a fade route and go to the house, someone who can run a deep in route and run away from coverage. They needed someone who can catch a wide receiver screen and run through people.

“That’s why they drafted Johnson. He has the physical profile to be that player, but if you go back to his college tape, lot of drops, very raw as a route runner and played in the Big 12, where he saw a lot of basic coverages and presnap you know exactly what you are getting. I think he has struggled in the NFL because he lacks coverage awareness. He’s finding out he can’t just win with physical tools. And there is an issue right now, even when they scheme for him, they can’t get him to produce. They’ve gone from being that explosive offense they want to be to being what they were last year. Don’t want to kill the kid seven games in or compare him to Jordan Addison and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but the production is not there. Great example of, ‘We’ll draft the traits and figure it out later.’ They haven’t figured it out yet.”

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The Gophers will be without their top two running backs against Michigan State at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Darius Taylor and Zach Evans were ruled out, according to the Gophers’ status report published two hours before kickoff. Both Taylor and Evans exited the 12-10 win over Iowa with undisclosed injuries.

The Gophers will also be without starting left guard Tyler Cooper. Greg Johnson, who has played in five games, will likely fill in against a Spartans rush defense that ranks 32nd in the nation, allowing 115 yards per game.

With running back Bryce Williams ruled out for the season before the Hawkeyes win, Minnesota is now down to Sean Tyler and Jordan Nubin as its primary ball carriers.

On Monday, Gophers coach P.J. Fleck was asked about the health of his running backs. “We’ll see,” Fleck said. “The good thing is got some good news on some guys.”

“When you look at the depth, JoJo Nubin, Jordan Nubin is going to have to be ready to go,” Fleck said. “He was ready last week. He’ll be fine that way. Sean Tyler and then we will hopefully have one of those guys in the mix. Next man up.”

Whatever news that was for Taylor or Evans, it wasn’t short-term enough for them to back on the field come Saturday.

Taylor and Evans have been banged up throughout the season and the pair of freshman will be missed against Michigan State. Taylor leads the team with 101 carries for 591 yards and four touchdowns. Evans has 37 carries for 174 yards and a TD.

Tyler, who began the year as the starter before having fumbling issues, is second on the team with 55 carries for 222 yards. Nubin has six carries for 25 yards in all seven games.

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Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb

Even before the pandemic took hold in the U.S. in March 2020, the world of work had been changing dramatically.

Structural shifts such as work-from-home (WFH), hybrid work, and the rise of gig work were already profoundly affecting relationships between employers and employees. Americans are changing jobs in increasing numbers, many doing so because they demand a new social contract with their employers.

Changing demographics only part of the story

Baby boomers, who have long had an outsized impact on the U.S. labor market, have been retiring in record numbers, although the trend may be shifting somewhat post-pandemic. Boomers had fewer children than their parents, so there are fewer Gen Xers and millennials to replace them.

Worker shortages, longer life expectancies, the need to make ends meet, or recently enacted financial incentives to work longer are encouraging some boomers to put off retirement and work later into their 60s and 70s.

Paychecks play a key role, too. Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report that inflation-adjusted earnings for the youngest boomers (those born between 1957 and 1964) have flatlined over the past 20 years — after this cohort had already turned 45. If the past is prologue, we should take careful note that salaries for this group increased the quickest between the ages of 18 and 24, when hourly wages went up an average of 6.5% per year. After that, the earnings growth rate slowed between the ages of 25 to 34 (+3.3% per year) and from ages 35 to 44 (+1.8% per year).

There is reason to believe that the high salaries of today’s younger workers could follow a similar pattern, causing a large percentage to seek multiple job opportunities before reaching mid-career to optimize their earnings.

Job hopping is a growing trend

Gen Zers and younger millennials are job-hopping more frequently to increase their salary and skills earlier in their careers. Although it’s always been a red flag for employers, job-hopping is now the top concern for more than three out of four hiring managers, according to HR consulting firm Robert Half.

Optimism over employment prospects led 22% of workers age 20 and older to spend a year or less in their jobs in 2022, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a nonpartisan D.C.-based think tank, and about 33% spent two years or less at their jobs. Perhaps more notable is the fact that 74% of 18-to 26-year-olds and 62% of 27- to 42-year-olds were searching for a new job or planned to search in the next six months, according to the Half study. A combined whopping 49% of American workers of all ages planned to look for a new job as of Q3/Q4 2023, extending a trend that started during the COVID-19 pandemic.

So, what’s driving this relentless desire for greener pastures among employees? Is it something more fundamental than higher pay and better benefits?

Evolving relationships

Some employment experts say one reason for the spike in job-hopping is an erosion of the social contract between companies and employees. The thinking is that repeated, recession-related layoffs have in some cases led to “right-sizing” in anticipation of an economic downturn. But this interpretation masks an important point: Today’s employers are less concerned about having access to talent than about motivating and keeping workers happy. Well-being and professional development are top-of-mind for both employees and hiring managers.

According to Robert Half, the three top motivations for U.S. workers to find new employment opportunities today include higher salaries (55%), better benefits and perks (38%), and remote work options (28%). But we also found an interesting trend that confirms how workers’ needs have evolved: According to global human capital firm Mercer, workers increasingly say they want to work “with” a company not “for” a company. Aligning work with personal values is a powerful motivator for employees, and employers who adapt well to employees’ changing needs are better positioned to win the war on talent.

So, as Mercer’s research bears out, for much of the 20th century there was a “Loyalty” contract between employees and employers, whereby employers met basic needs such as steady pay, benefits, and job security in exchange for employees’ commitment that often lasted their entire careers. Then, pre-pandemic, the social contract evolved to be more focused on an “Engagement” contract, where employees’ psychological needs for achievement, camaraderie, and equity rewards were exchanged for employee contributions and effort. The new chapter of work is being organized around the “Lifestyle” contract, whereby employees’ needs for healthier physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being are being met by employers who are seeking sustainable business performance.

We’re already seeing significant shifts in employees’ financial and well-being concerns. Three in four workers say that last year’s high inflation and market volatility have increased their stress levels, according to Mercer’s Inside Employees’ Minds survey (2022). Covering monthly expenses was the No. 1 concern of workers in 2022, up from No. 9 in 2021, and the ability to retire moved from No. 5 to No. 2. For the first time, personal debt moved into the top 10. It should surprise no one, then, how a rise in awareness of work-life boundaries has permeated American business culture: The No. 1 action that employees are looking for is a “reduced workload” and a rejection of “hustle culture.”

What lies ahead?

The evolution toward a Lifestyle social contract raises lots of questions with no clear answers (and we haven’t even raised the specter of AI’s anticipated impact on the world of work):

• Are workers who seek greater work-life balance as productive or as likely to be considered for promotion and career advancement?

• Will they meet their goals for retiring on their terms?

• Are employers realistic in their demands for workers to return to the office?

• Should employers adopt the new lifestyle contract to ensure that workers reward them with loyalty, commitment, and retention?

What we can say with confidence is that creating a resilient, comprehensive financial plan helps give you better control over, and confidence in, your career decisions. By managing day-to-day finances, preparing for the unexpected, getting on track to meet long-term goals, and thinking about what will give you the freedom to make choices in life that matter the most to you, you set yourself up to survive and thrive — whatever the world of work looks like in the future.

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The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb are financial advisers at Wealth Enhancement Group and co-hosts of “Your Money” on WCCO 830 AM on Sunday mornings. Email Bruce and Peg at yourmoney@wealthenhancement.com. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services, LLC, a registered investment advisor. Wealth Enhancement Group and Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services are separate entities from LPL Financial.