ESPN analysts rips Bears’ offense, Matt Nagy originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Monday Night Countdown crew went in on Bears head coach Matt Nagy and the offense.
It started with Steve Young pointing out that Nick Foles led the Eagles to a Super Bowl win with the third-best rushing attack that season. Then he noted that the 2020 Bears are last in rushing.
"They're not even close to last," Young said. "They're like 40th and there are only 32 teams."
Ouch.
And Young illustrated how the Bears' horrendous run game completely negates Foles' strength as a play-action passer.
But to be fair, the Bears' offensive line is riddled with injuries.
Then Booger McFarland chimed in and just ethered Nagy.
"If you look at why teams hire head coaches, it's usually an offensive guy, it's a defensive guy or it's a guy who can galvanize and lead the whole organization. Nagy was an offensive guy... I'm just going to give you some stats," McFarland said. "Under Nagy, they're 30th in yards per play, 31st in yards per rush, 30th in explosive plays since Matt Nagy's been there... and there are only 32 teams in the league.
McFarland pointed out that they changed the offensive line coach to Juan Castillo and the Bears still can't run the football.
"The bottom line is, when you're an offensive coach and you're supposed to come in and have creative offenses, you've changed quarterbacks, you've brought in a different quarterback, the problem is not anything but you," McFarland said.
"Matt Nagy has not been able to do what the Kyle Shanahans have done. What the Arthur Smiths have done. What the Sean McVays have done. Be creative. Be innovative."
Be you? Maybe Nagy's done that.
But McFarland wasn't done.
"I talked to a defensive coordinator... I asked them, 'hey tell me about the Chicago Bears' run game,'" McFarland said. "They said it's a trick 'em run game. They're not physical. They try to trick you. They're soft. They don't respect it."
"Soft?" a stunned Randy Moss chimed in.
"Soft. They do not respect what the Bears do. It's a gimmick offense," McFarland said. "As a defensive player, anytime I saw a gimmick offense I knew how to beat them, hit them in the mouth and you knock them out."
McFarland then noted aggressive teams that penetrate stifle the Bears.
"This is a direct reflection on Matt Nagy," McFarland said." "Ryan Pace has a done a really good job. The Bears have talent, they have a Super Bowl caliber defense...
"Where is the creativity? Where is the commitment to run? There is none."
Just ouch.
But sometimes the truth hurts.
Nagy made the tough decision this week to hand over play-calling to Bill Lazor.
Nagy's been white knuckling the offense as the season went off the rails, much to the chagrin of fans. The hope is some change sparks the Bears to end a losing streak and get back into the mix for a playoff spot.
We'll see if it works.
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