Matt Nagy had a choice to make. With the game down in Atlanta slipping away and his Chicago Bears looking lifeless, he either had to trust that Mitch Trubisky could turn things around or the time had come to make a switch. After watching Trubisky end another promising drive with a poorly read throw that resulted in an interception, the head coach had seen enough. He told Nick Foles to get warmed up.
After a dicey first couple of drives, the 32-year old veteran started to find his groove. Foles got hot in the 4th quarter and before anybody realized it, he’d turned a 26-10 deficit into a 30-26 lead. The Bears had improbably won the game and Foles was named the starter moving forward 24 hours later.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss was asked about this situation on Monday Night Countdown. He understood why the switch was made and believes the Bears passing game is in much better hands now.
“Speaking about yesterday’s game coming in there as a wide receiver. You pay me to put the ball in the box. Score touchdowns. First half Mitchell Trubisky and the offense was not doing that. Then comes in Nick Foles…
…Three touchdowns in the second half. So you’re talking about Foles coming in and giving this team, not just the offense the spark that they needed. That team going forward? I see Nick Foles and that passing game doing some great things going down the road.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbyEIaaX55o&t=123s&ab_channel=PuPuRemake
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Nick Foles and Matt Nagy have a chance to silence some critics
In many ways, both Foles and Nagy have a lot to prove moving forward. Remember the quarterback was left for dead after what happened in Jacksonville. He broke his collarbone in the first game and ended up losing his job to Gardner Minshew. Experts felt that was confirmation he never had any business being a starter. Nagy on the other hand was labeled as a failed offensive mind. His inability to elevate Trubisky exposed him as a fraud.
It seems rather fitting the two come together like this. Now they have a chance to show everybody how wrong they were. That explosive 4th quarter was certainly a wild way to start their run. Foles may not be a Patrick Mahomes type of talent, but his football intelligence and leadership are unquestioned. If he gets protection and has Nagy’s craft play designs to work with? This Bears passing game should look far better than it has over the past month.