The Chicago Bears are preparing to play their most important game of the 2018 season yet. After losing to the Patriots last week, they sit at 3-3 and in a precarious spot. Another loss could drop them out of the NFC North race and threaten to torpedo their season. That’s why beating the New York Jets is so paramount. For head coach Matt Nagy, it’s also somewhat personal.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Nagy was a target for the Jets offensive coordinator position last year. He had a history going back many years with their head coach Todd Bowles. They’ve known each other since they were kids when their fathers won a state high school championship together in New Jersey.
Bowles’ familiarity with Nagy and knowing his intelligence and expertise in offense made it an obvious choice. Unfortunately for him and the Jets, they were stonewalled before they ever got close.
“The Jets’ search for offensive coordinator Chan Gailey’s replacement nearly two years ago would have stopped at Matt Nagy if Bowles’ wish were granted.
The Jets were interested in hiring Nagy, the Chiefs offensive coordinator at the time, to be their new play-caller, according to people familiar with the situation.
One problem: Andy Reid knew that Nagy was too valuable to part with, so the creative young mind didn’t interview for the job. (The Jets were also blocked by Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie from interviewing his quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo before settling on John Morton, who was fired after one season).”
Matt Nagy knows the Jets defense well from experience and history
It was rather fitting that the first game Nagy went into as a play caller for the Kansas City Chiefs last year was against the Jets. One has to wonder if his familiarity with Bowles played a part in what followed. The Chiefs had a big day offensively. Alex Smith threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns while also running for a 70-yard touchdown. They scored 31 points in the game.
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Though they lost 38-31, it was a coming out party for Nagy and ultimately started him on the course towards becoming the head coach in Chicago where’s he’s had early success. Now Bowles comes to town for a rematch with both teams knowing this game could decide the course of their seasons. Can Nagy duplicate what he did last year? He’s most certainly going to try, even if it’s his friend on the other sideline.
