Nagy on the Celebrations, Faith in Chase Daniel, Vic Fangio as “The Godfather,” and Other Bullets

Nov 30, 2018

I found myself playing catch-up with Thursday Night Football because I was watching the Bob Knight 30-for-30 on ESPN. If you haven’t seen it and you’re a college basketball fan, just know that it’s worth your time. There’s a ton of perspective that I wasn’t privy to when I was following the story as a younger man. Go check your local listings for a re-airing.

Not only are the Bears the best team in the NFC North, they’re arguably the most creative in the celebration department. Additionally, they might be the best at preparing without anyone noticing. Head Coach Matt Nagy discussed that and more here:

Every time I thought the Saints were going to put together a scoring drive that would give them a lead over the Cowboys, the exact opposite happened. Dallas’ defense put the clamps down on New Orleans in a 13-10 win on Thursday in a game that could change some things in the NFC playoff picture. We’ll dive into the full ramifications later.

Also, are the Cowboys for real? If so, that’s not a team I want to see in a win-or-go-home showdown.

The hope is that Mitch Trubisky will be back in the mix by the time the Rams and Bears square off in Week 14. But in the mean time, let’s enjoy the positive vibes surrounding Chase Daniel while we can:

.@ChicagoBears @ChaseDaniel there is a reason why the league’s best coaches believe in #Chase. Today is was pure “MONEY”. Can your backup win key divisional games down the stretch on the road . Not very many. Bears have the right man. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/SZf7h4oM8y
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 23, 2018

Die-hard Bears fans don’t need me to dive into the history of backups this team has employed to know how much better Daniel performed than others who came before him. That Daniel had a good game is one of the most pleasant surprises we have had in quite some time. And that his quality effort hasn’t led to Bears fans coming out in droves and calling for him to supplant Trubisky as the starter suggests Bears fans actually like their quarterback. Honestly, I didn’t see that coming. Good for us for evolving as fans.

For what it’s worth, Daniel says he prepares every day like the starter:

If you consider Daniel’s primary responsibilities this year were to impart all of his knowledge of the system onto Trubisky, you could make a case that he has been preparing for this moment from a mental perspective since his arrival. Because while Daniel hasn’t received the necessary practice reps to build up a lather with the first unit, we’re still talking about a ton of mental reps which have some value when it comes to development.

So that leaves us wondering if he can do it again. Fair question that’s worth asking. ESPN’s panel of experts – including former Bears coach John Fox – provides some thoughts on the matter:

Meanwhile, the million dollar question tackled by JJ Stankevitz of NBC Sports Chicago is if the Bears’ precautionary measures pay off with Mitch Trubisky the way they did with Khalil Mack and Allen Robinson.

Thanks, Oakland:

Was thinking about this last night. Raiders have potentially turned two teams into division champions this year through trades: Bears (Mack) and Cowboys (Cooper).

— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) November 30, 2018

Maybe this is the universe trying to balance itself after the Marlins traded away two outfielders to the Cubs’ two NL Central division rivals and made that division ultra competitive.

This is ridiculously well done:

Never go against the family…or the #Bears defense.

Based on the nickname given by Bryce Callahan, Vic Fangio is 'The Godfather'. pic.twitter.com/WOQB01hwwq

— Bears Talk (@NBCSBears) November 30, 2018

Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report underscores every NFL team’s worst offseason move and the holdup in signing first-round linebacker Roquan Smith is what sticks out from a Bears perspective. I suppose the team (and the agent) could have wrapped up negotiations in a more timely manner, but it’s not as if Smith is struggling because he missed training camp. Smith leads the team in tackles despite not entering the starting lineup until Week 2. The fact that he plays like a seasoned vet despite doing a ton of learning on the fly is one of the most encouraging things about this season.

Patrick Mahomes’ college head coach is getting a ton of interest despite just getting fired. Kliff Kingsbury was reportedly set to be hired by USC football to be the team’s offensive coordinator, but Bruce Feldman of The Athletic saw the news as premature and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported Kingsbury was still checking out other options.

Kingsbury should have his pick of the litter when it comes to jobs that provide a soft landing. His Mahomes-led Texas Tech offenses averaged 45.1 points per game in 2015 and 43.7 points in 2016. Maybe he isn’t the right fit as a head coach, but his offenses are definitely doing something right. On top of that, Kingsbury should be a coach in high demand because of his system is trending right now and has a history of developing pro-caliber quarterbacks. In addition to Mahomes, Kingsbury was Johnny Manziel’s offensive coordinator when he won a Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M, which helped lead him to becoming a first-round pick a few years later. He also helped develop Case Keenum at Houston, a school where he served as a QBs Coach. Kingsbury could succeed as a college OC, but the time might be right to strike an NFL deal while his name is hot.

Some more noble causes for #MyCauseMyCleats:

.@deonbushlive2 honors his late father and recognizes the fight against liver cancer through his foundation Doby's Dream.#MyCauseMyCleats | #DaBears pic.twitter.com/TpOg1UNXwE
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 30, 2018

.@TreyBurton8 is proud to support @IJM through this year's #MyCauseMyCleats initiative.#DaBears pic.twitter.com/MaoY52hUaq

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 30, 2018

written by

Luis C. Medina

Luis C. Medina, who you can find on Twitter at lcm1986, has been covering the Chicago Bears at Bleacher Nation since 2017. Since then, he has written about 3 head coaches, 5 play-callers, and 11 starting quarterbacks. Previously, Luis wrote about the Cubs and MLB at BN (2015-16) and worked in the Chicago Tribune sports department (2011-16). He also co-hosted a Cubs postgame show, Outside the Ivy, in 2019.

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