Several coaches have encountered swoons during certain seasons in their careers. It’s nothing new. The key difference between the good ones and the rest is how they navigate out of them. Some are able to make adjustments and get back to winning. Even if it may not always be pretty. Others can’t seem to stop the bleeding no matter what they try. That seems to be where Matt Nagy has found himself.
After starting the season 5-1, the Chicago Bears have gone on a five-game losing streak. One of the worst seen since 2017 before Nagy arrived. The head coach has tried everything to halt it. That includes giving up play-calling duties with his offense continuing to look like one of the worst in the entire NFL. It just hasn’t worked.
Things hit a crisis point last Sunday night.
In primetime before a national audience, the Bears were once again embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers. The defense gave up 34 points. The offense scored just 10 in the first three quarters and gave back seven on a fumble return touchdown. It was another humiliation in a long line of many against the Packers. Something the McCaskeys have grown tired of over the years.
Smart money says Nagy is well aware of this. It might explain why he decided to let loose in an emotional rant to the media the day after the game, calling the loss “embarrassing” and that their players need to have some “personal pride.” It was refreshing for some fans to see. One man though who wasn’t impressed? Longtime NFL analyst Rich Eisen.
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He seemed to think that performance was less about getting the players’ attention and more a grandstanding to ownership.
Matt Nagy seems unable to back up his bark with any bite
Eisen said it right there. Nagy is a nice guy. That is the truth. Everybody who has met him says the same. He believes in the power of positivity. That all sounds great. Except this is the NFL. There comes a time when the head coach can’t afford to be buddies with his players. Sometimes he needs to be the a**hole. That means holding players accountable. Bench guys who aren’t executing or cut guys who aren’t aiding the bottom line.
There just hasn’t been any of that during Nagy’s tenure. He seems to lack the cutthroat nature head coaches sometimes need in order to keep the attention of the locker room. Players want to be motivated, sure. However, in order to get them to play their best they also sometimes need to play out of fear. Fear of repercussions if they don’t perform.
Bears players may like Nagy, but do they fear him?
It doesn’t seem that way. That is because he hasn’t really done anything to send a message aside from occasional rants to the media. Think about this. How many coaches would’ve kept Javon Wims around after he threw those two punches against New Orleans? Punches that contributed to his team losing a pivotal game. The wide receiver should’ve been cut. Instead, Matt Nagy didn’t have it in him to do so.
Little moments like that pile up over time. Players begin to realize the coach is more their buddy than their boss. When that happens, they stop taking him seriously.