Being the worst-ranked offense in the NFL isn’t a good feeling. Cole Kmet has endured it for much longer than any player would like. Remember that this guy was a Chicago Bears fan. Getting a chance to play for his hometown team was a dream come true. So this run of ineptitude has to be killing him more than most. Especially when the team routinely isn’t able to get him more involved in the passing game.
So when head coach Matt Nagy opened the floor for players to air their grievances? Guys spoke up. Nick Foles was among those who were the most vocal. As were members of the offensive line. This has left fans wondering what exactly was said in that meeting. While no doubt there were plenty of opinions, Kmet seemed to offer an idea of the overall message when asked during his latest press conference. It was rather simple.
Feed David Montgomery.
It seems the players feel they’ve gotten away from what the team did during the second half of last season. Conveniently the stretch where Bill Lazor was calling plays. It was a stretch that coincided with a number of scheme shifts. None more so than the decision to run the ball more consistently. Before the bye week in 2020, Montgomery averaged 14.55 carries per game with Nagy calling plays. After the bye, that number jumped to 19.33.
It wasn’t just more running the ball either. It was how. Nagy often likes to run it out of the shotgun, either with simple handoffs or run-pass option type plays. Towards the end of last year, they incorporated a lot more outside zone runs from under center. Something Montgomery and the offensive line seemed to like. This is why fans were upset when Nagy took back play calling. They knew he’d get away from that approach.
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Cole Kmet made it pretty clear players are frustrated
They have every right to be. This offense on paper should not be this bad. Yes, their offensive line isn’t the best but the talent everywhere else isn’t dead-last-in-the-NFL level. It just isn’t. Allen Robinson is a top 10 receiver. Montgomery is a top 10 running back. Kmet, Darnell Mooney, Jimmy Graham, and others have solid talent. They should be playing better than this. Much better. Especially with two capable QBs like Justin Fields and Andy Dalton in the huddle.
It seems only Nagy could make this sort of depth chart look so spectacularly ineffective. Will Bill Lazor take over like last year? Nobody is saying but that is the rumor. If so, Cole Kmet will be happy. He saw way more opportunities when the offensive coordinator called plays than when Nagy did. Couple that with a greater commitment to Montgomery? The offense should at least look better. More functional.
That is what they must aim for at this point.
Another performance like the one against the Browns could lead to a full-on mutiny. Nagy has been able to maintain control of the locker room through all these struggles. A testament to his leadership. However, every team has a breaking point. If the Bears fall to Detroit on Sunday and fall to 1-3? The crack may finally start to show.