Matt Nagy came to the Chicago Bears with an abundance of confidence. Not only in his ability to lead as the new head coach but also accomplish something nobody before him has. Produce a viable and consistent offense every Sunday. Offense has been the kryptonite in Chicago for decades. Routinely unable to compliment their excellent defenses.
Things started out well. Aided by a bevy of takeaways, the Bears finished 2018 ranked 9th in points scored. Mitch Trubisky was a Pro Bowl alternate and the team won the division. Maybe Nagy was the guy after all. Then everybody got a rude awakening in the opener against Green Bay the next year when Chicago managed just three points.
This started a trend they haven’t broken since.
In their past 25 games, the Bears have managed to score 30 points or more just three times. They’ve scored 10 or less four times. For awhile much of the blame went to Trubisky who was clearly struggling. That is why the Bears traded for Nick Foles this past March. However, even last year several people had reservations about Nagy’s offense in general.
Everything from his play calling to clock management, situational awareness, and personnel usage seemed off. Frustrations with him only intensified after Trubisky was benched and nothing improved. The Bears have now lost three straight. Nagy has resisted the idea of giving up the call sheet. After another lifeless effort in Tennessee, has anything changed?
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Actually yeah. At least based on his latest press conference comments.
“I’m looking at all that right now…Where we’re at right now, as an offense and struggling the way we are, you have to be able to look at everything, including myself. So we’ll see where that goes. We play Monday and we will make the best decision possible here. I think that’s a part of some of the decisions that we look at for sure.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0jpAHrYB5o&ab_channel=ChicagoBears
Matt Nagy needs solutions and this might be his last one
The bottom line is Nagy has called plays as if he has Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offensive line here in Chicago. His inability to recognize the personnel he has and adjust the calls accordingly is a big reason for the ongoing struggles. No franchise QB is walking through the door this year to save the day. At 5-4, the Bears are floundering. They need a jolt on offense in some form or fashion.
His only option left is handing off the call sheet. It’s a blow to his self-confidence. This was supposed to be his baby. His vision. Yet it hasn’t come to fruition. It can’t be about that anymore. He has to do what’s best for the team. Nobody has ever questioned his leadership. Being a successful head coach doesn’t require being a successful play caller.
This would be for the good of the team.
Of course, the question is if Matt Nagy goes through with it, who will take over the calls? Looking at the state of the Bears coaching staff, there are three options on the table. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor is the most obvious. He’s run offenses before in both Miami and Cincinnati. In terms of experience, he leads the pack.
Then there is quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. He was an offensive coordinator in Minnesota and Jacksonville over the past two seasons and has direct play calling experience with Nick Foles. He knows what the quarterback can and can’t do on that front.
Lastly, the wild card is passing game coordinator Dave Ragone. He only called plays for a brief period during the 2019 preseason. So his experience is low. That said, he’s well-respected in the locker room and known for being sharp.
Nagy stated during the press conference that if he does decide to make a change, it won’t be announced publicly. So odds are Bears fans will get their answer on Monday Night Football next week.