The Chicago Bears have made a big coaching change. On Friday, the team revealed that Matt Nagy will relegate play-calling responsibilities to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor ahead of this weekend’s showdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
“It’s just kind of where we’re at,” Nagy said to the media.
“You get a feel and you understand, ‘OK, this is where our offense is at right now,’ and we’ve been struggling and for different reasons. I don’t think it’s one particular reason, but if there’s something that can help spark us, or sometimes it’s just a changeup.
“It’s like bringing in, for instance, a different-style pitcher. You have one pitcher that throws one way, now you have another pitcher that throws another way,” he continued.
“Sometimes change can be good in that regard, so again, none of it was for a particular reason other than we’ve just been struggling, and I feel like it’s the best thing for this team.”
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Ever since taking over as head coach in 2018 Nagy has maintained firm control of play-calling responsibilities. The whole reason he was brought on originally was because of his presumed expertise in that specific area and the experience he gleaned under Andy Reid with the Kansas City Chiefs.
“Is it hard to do? Absolutely,” Nagy admitted.
“I’d be lying to every one of you guys if I told you that this is easy. It’s not easy. It’s one of my favorite parts of coaching. I love calling plays. I love it. I love it.
Steph forgot he was mic’d. https://t.co/aHQ26YVM1b
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“Is it permanent, like you were asking me before? No, it’s not permanent. But guess what? If this is what’s best for the team, then that’s what I’m gonna do. We need to do what’s best for us, not what’s best for Matt Nagy. That’s where I’m at. I’m excited about it, you know, looking forward to it.”
After getting off to a strong start in his first year with the Bears and winning the NFL’s Coach of the Year award, Nagy has seen his team struggle. This year, the Bears rank 31st in yards per play and third down conversions, 29th in points per game, yards per carry and yards per pass, and 30th in red zone efficiency.
Part of those struggles are the byproduct of not having a particularly solid quarterback at the helm of the offense. Nick Foles is not a legit starter at this point in his career, and Mitchell Trubisky never was.
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— Game 7 (@game7__) November 13, 2020
But the other part is unquestionably Nagy’s failure to adapt to circumstances that are outside his control.
After getting off to an impressive start this year, the Bears cooled and fell back down to earth. They are now on a three-game losing streak and have a looming schedule that consists of two games against the Vikings, one against the Green Bay Packers, one against the Detroit Lions and one against the Houston Texans.
How they fare in those outings will tell folks a lot about what Nagy’s future in Chicago ultimately looks like.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
