After Sunday’s loss to the Rams, fans have been quick to blame Matt Nagy for making a series of poor calls. Eddie Pineiro was also not spared for missing two field goals while the wide receivers simply couldn’t catch the ball. But who’s to blame?
In Nagy’s Defense
He proved he could turn around an undesirable 5-11 record in 2017 to 12-4 last year. And in doing so, the Bears qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2010. He also won the Coach of the Year Award, deservedly.
But this year, Nagy and the Bears are operating like a team that doesn’t know what winning feels like. They’ve managed four wins so far, but have also lost six. For most bookmakers displayed on SBO.net, a site that offers insights into various sports, the Bears are the underdogs in most upcoming matches. That’s the contrast of last season when they had great odds of winning most divisional games.
Surprisingly, the team’s defense isn’t even the problem. In the ten games played as of last Sunday, the Bears have only given up more than 20 points in a game three times.
The team’s biggest problem is its offense, Nagy’s area of specialization. It’s where he’s supposed to shine and spearhead the team into a winning season like he did last year.
Instead, most of his decisions in the past few games have been awful. Of course, he’s not the only person worthy of blame in the Bears’ locker room. But something is not working for Nagy and his coaching staff.
Some critics believe Nagy’s inability to change his way of calling plays is the problem. But when a news reporter recently asked him if he has considered giving up his play calling duties, the coach reiterated everything was okay.
The Trubisky Problem
Although QB Mitchell Trubisky has had some good games this season, some people think he’s the main cause of the Bears’ recent losing streak. He didn’t make his case any better last Sunday. He missed a lot of passes, managing 24 of 43 and struggling to complete one touchdown. He ended up getting subbed with three minutes to go.
The coach later explained the QB had picked up a hip injury. Despite that, he walked off the pitch comfortably after the game and Nagy did all he could to dodge questions about the quarterback at the following press conference.
Should Trubisky continue being the starting quarterback? Nagy believes so. In fact, he affirmed that the 25-year-old will start against the Giants on Sunday if he stays healthy. That’s despite the continuing losing streak that shows no signs of stopping.
Is Nagy the Right Man?
During the Bears’ four-game losing streak, Nagy has made a series of decisions that could put him in the hot seat. And if nothing changes with his coaching style; he could get fired despite his incredible run that earned him Coach of the Year Award last season.
But what exactly should he do to save his job? Nagy must admit there are problems within his team. It’s the one thing he refuses to do. And it could be one of the reasons he gets fired. After accepting he must make some radical changes, he needs to follow up on them.
For example, he could swallow his pride and relieve himself off his play calling duties. Unlike in 2018 when his calls were incredible, he’s responsible for some of the team’s losses this season. Nagy also needs to get his entire team together, especially the offense, which has been alarmingly awful.
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