When Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky were nearing the end of their relationship in 2020, the debate was heated amongst Chicago Bears fans. They argued over who was the bigger issue between the coach and quarterback. In the end, GM Ryan Pace chose to side with Nagy. It was felt that a fresh start under center with somebody the head coach hand-picked might lead to the desired result. Hence why the team traded up to grab Justin Fields.
It did not go as planned. After Andy Dalton got injured in the second game of the season, Fields stepped in and suffered from inconsistency. He threw seven touchdowns to 10 interceptions, fumbled 12 times, and looked confused and overwhelmed too often. Some fans were quick to blame the young quarterback for those mistakes. True, some were indeed his fault, but many around the NFL don’t share this stance. According to Adam Jahns of the Athletic, their fingers of blame are directed at the common denominator between him and Trubisky.
Nagy himself.
While Fields’ rookie numbers can’t be ignored, several pointed to a small sample size and an offense that wasn’t built for him. One opposing coach noted a challenging schedule and an offensive line that prevented Fields from finding consistent success as a rookie.
“He can be good,” a league source added. “But there are obviously some things that need to be fixed. … How long will that take?”
One league source, who is still a believer in Fields, said that there’s a “Matt Nagy effect” in play when judging the Bears quarterback.
“Look at what Charles Leno did after he left Chicago,” the source said. “And Cordarrelle Patterson. Those guys had success in different offenses.”
Those comments align with what many Nagy detractors had been saying for months. His handling of the Bears offense was baffling. It was evident from the beginning that he expected Dalton to start the entire season. The offense was crafted in such a manner to fit him. When the veteran suffered his knee injury, it became apparent the head coach wasn’t prepared for that. It is why the scheme didn’t seem to change when Fields stepped in.
The Bears ran all the same plays and alignments they’d been running with Dalton. Ill-advised, considering the rookie didn’t have the experience or style of play to execute them. There were no adjustments, no leaning into what Fields does best. No heavy play action, bootlegs, sprint-outs, or max protections. Then people acted surprised that he was sacked 36 times and got injured twice.
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Matt Eberflus must undo the damage Nagy did to Justin Fields
There were a lot of bad habits the young quarterback learned under the previous head coach. That is why Eberflus looked to hire Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator. Not only is he heralded for his ability as a teacher, but he’s also a stickler for details. He will be on top of Fields from the beginning about every component of playing quarterback. From footwork all the way up to eye manipulation.
While that is happening, the rest of the staff will improve the overall system. Far more plays that work to Justin Fields’ strengths. If GM Ryan Poles can even modestly improve the personnel around the rest of the offense, the 23-year old quarterback should take a step forward. However, it might take time before he starts realizing his full potential. That is how much damage Nagy did.
It is nice to hear that Bears fans and media weren’t crazy.
Their eyes weren’t deceiving them. Fields was playing bad but it was how he was playing that stuck out. Almost like he was fighting both the defense and the system itself. When that happens, mistakes are inevitable. Once the system starts working to the player’s benefit, he can focus more on attacking the defense. The few times Fields was able to do that in 2021, he shined.
