The Chicago Bears’ offensive effort on Monday Night Football would’ve been infuriating if it weren’t so familiar. Scoring nine points alone is bad enough, but the worst part is knowing it’s not because the Minnesota Vikings defense was suffocating. Far from it. The Bears moved the ball well most of the night, accumulating 370 total yards. The problem is they had three turnovers and five offensive penalties. A constant stream of self-inflicted wounds that quarterback Justin Fields is beyond tired of.
The rookie stood before the media after the game. He was his usual self during most of the press conference. Low-key, calm, and even-keel. However, right near the end, he was asked about the issues the offense has had started drives well only to kill them with ill-timed mistakes. He immediately nodded and began answering before the question was even finished. A clear indication of his strong feelings on the subject. His comments were eye-opening and perhaps the latest dig at the coaching staff for not doing a better job holding players accountable.
Saying Ohio State does a better job of disciplining players than Chicago?
That is a clear indictment of the ship head coach Matt Nagy is running. Honestly, Fields is far from the first person to voice these frustrations. The lack of efficiency has bedeviled the Bears offense going back years. Penalties in the worst possible situations. Ugly turnovers. Stalled momentum due to weird play calls and personnel decisions. Nothing about it feels like Nagy is running a tight ship.
He seems to suffer from the same problem Marc Trestman had back in 2013 and 2014. He expects the players to discipline themselves. That isn’t how it works in football. Yes, these are mostly grown men but even adults can get lazy when left to their own devices. Not everybody is self-driven to master the details. This is why the head coach and his staff are so vital to the process. In this context, Nagy is a failure.
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Justin Fields likely senses the need for a change
The fact he made a comment like that says it all. He is getting the sense that the coaching staff isn’t doing enough. Remember the comments about the Bears quarterback going back months is that he likes to be coached hard. That doesn’t feel like it’s in Nagy’s DNA. The man has always operated through the power of positivity. While that is a great way to keep the spirits of players up through tough stretches, it doesn’t often get them to play smarter.
Sometimes a coach has to be the villain. The guy players fear and respect. It isn’t about being their buddy. It is about getting them to play their best. A head coach doesn’t need to be liked in order to achieve that. Several players have admitted for years they don’t necessarily like Bill Belichick, always chafing under his strict ways. Yet they always play great football under him. Why? He never lets the little details go. That is something Justin Fields and the Bears offense need with the next head coach.
Who will it be?
Only George McCaskey can answer that and he’s not ready to talk. So it’s all speculation at this point. Nagy has three games left in Chicago. He had every opportunity to save himself this season. To change his ways. Instead, he chose to be himself. Even when it’s clear that what he is right now isn’t nearly good enough.
