With the Chicago Bears 2020 season hanging by a thread, fans have shifted their attention from the players to the top brass. With this team going in the wrong direction, speculation is ramping up on what fate awaits head coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace. Plenty of insiders have shared their opinion on this. Some believe both are gone. Others think Pace is gone but Nagy might stay. Still others believe there’s an outside chance both stay. So what does Ian Rapoport think.
The NFL Network insider is among the most plugged-in there is in the league. He also boasts strong sources in Chicago as evidenced by his constant breaking news from there over the years. So when he has something to offer on their situation, it’s worth taking notice of. While appearing on NFL GameDay ahead of the Bears’ matchup against the Houston Texans, Rapoport provided an interesting update.
One that provides some insight behind the scenes.
According to him, Nagy and Pace remain tight in their efforts to turn the team around and stopping this losing streak that has hit six games. In regards to their futures? The word used in “uncertain.” A clear indication that George McCaskey is far from showing any sort of strong backing to the embattled pairing.
Where it got particularly intriguing is what Rapoport had to say regarding today. Not only would a loss make it their seventh in a row, but there appears to be a strong sentiment connected to the opponent. That being Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. The man Pace passed on to draft Mitch Trubisky almost four years ago. Losing to him would apparently be “tough to overcome” for Nagy and Pace.
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From @NFLGameDay: #Cowboys RB Zeke Elliott (calf) will play today… while the futures of #Bears GM Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy are uncertain. pic.twitter.com/tRtBQsCGi6
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 13, 2020
Ian Rapoport made it pretty clear this game is must-win
The Watson factor is naturally a big subplot. The McCaskeys already had to endure a beatdown from Patrick Mahomes last season. Getting beat by the other guy the Bears passed on would be an insult to injury. However, there is a more straightforward reason this game is viewed with such importance. A loss would make it their 8th of the season, ensuring the best record they can finish with is 8-8.
Not only is that the exact same record as last season, but it also makes it virtually certain they won’t make the playoffs. That would be a potential deathblow. Remember this team looked like a Super Bowl contender just two years ago. For them to have fallen apart this fast is inexcusable. Somebody will have to pay with their jobs.
Nagy and Pace sit atop that list.
Ian Rapoport painted a clear picture. This game may not seem overly important in the grand NFL scheme but it’s do or die for the two most important men of the Bears hierarchy. Houston is 4-8 team. They should be beatable even with Watson at quarterback. They’re missing several players and have a bad defense. The Bears are at home. Excuses are minimal. If they don’t win then the writing is on the wall.
