NEWSLETTER
Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy isn’t giving up the reins as the offensive play-caller just yet, but I’d be lying if I didn’t think it deserves consideration.
After all, it was Nagy himself who was given those responsibilities with the Chiefs late in the 2017 season. Andy Reid’s faith in Nagy helped launch his candidacy as a head coach throughout the league before ultimately landing in Chicago. And with the Bears offense struggling to find traction (let alone an identity), it turns out that analysts observing the group are as fed up while watching this thing go nowhere.
Check out some of the insight:
Watched every snap this morning. Worst offensive scheme in the NFL. Just drawing up plays and running them. No rhyme or reason.
— Sage Rosenfels (@SageRosenfels18) October 22, 2019
Some of the criticism is valid and fair. Such as Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner wondering about the thin line between the scheme limiting what Mitch Trubisky does and Trubisky’s limitations providing restraints for the offense. Ex-NFL quarterback Sage Rosenfels, who provides analysis on multiple platforms under the ESPN umbrella, calls Nagy’s scheme the worst in the NFL. He even went as far as to say plays are ran with “no rhyme or reason.” YIKES. Simply put: That isn’t what the Bears signed up for when they brought Nagy on board.
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger takes it even further, calling for the Bears to rip up their running-game playbook. He even tags their Twitter handle and everything, which really goes a long way toward driving the point home:
.@ChicagoBears take your run playbook and rip it up. This is a nonsense run game. College option crap with tight ends sealing the LOS with crap cut blocks. Pretend like Papa Bear Halas is watching and win the LOS. This run game will never win in the post season #BaldysBreakdowns
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 22, 2019
Baldinger makes some strong points above. The Bears need to start winning at the line of scrimmage before they start winning anywhere else. If the offensive line can generate a push and clear some running lanes, it would go a long way toward lifting a morbid running game from the depths of football hell.
However, it isn’t just about the scheme. Baldinger proves a pair of plays that are good to spotlight and discuss the Bears’ offensive shortcomings. But in each example, it wasn’t the scheme that failed — it was the players.
Observe:
.@ChicagoBears this offense isn’t helping anyone. The @saints took away whatever look you thought you were going to get; so what should the QB do with the #Saints best player unblocked ? #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/YLtza9tI2I
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 22, 2019
In the clip above, there are TWO players open for gains that could go for 5-7 yards. But rather than opt for easy completions to get the game in motion, Trubisky can’t go anywhere besides a covered Allen Robinson who was running deep. This is an occasion when the offensive line does its job in an RPO, but Trubisky can’t take advantage of it because his eyes aren’t where they are supposed to be.
There is even a running play that caught Baldinger’s ire, albeit for the wrong reasons.
Here it is:
.@saints v @bears and this is the 1st of 7 rushing attempts. The #Bears can run block, but they are in love with their “schemes” and it backfired on this inside zone. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/EoljHehUbS
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 22, 2019
This run play was well schemed, created what should have been a running lane, and the Bears got some help from officials not calling what could have been viewed as an illegal chop block. You could debate whether the motion in the play was effective (after all, Taylor Gabriel takes linebacker Craig Robertson (No. 52) out of his responsibility in the gap), but there is no debate as to the left side of the line taking an “L” here. Left guard Cody Whitehair falls down, leaving James Daniels to pick up the slack for his teammate. If Whitehair doesn’t lose leverage, Daniels could pick up the defensive back (C.J. Gardner-Johnson) and spring Cohen for a big gain.
If Trubisky stays true to the offense and his reads, the Bears could be in a position to move the pigskin downfield. And if the offensive line picks up a key block here and there, a running game that has been down in the dumps could emerge with a chunk play of its own. There are silver linings in these dark clouds and hope on the horizon. It’s just hard to see it right now, and I totally get it.
Sure, there are times when the Bears’ offensive scheme isn’t doing its players any favors. But it’s not like there aren’t occasions when the players aren’t executing the scheme’s most simple tasks. Right now, the offense stinks. HOWEVER, in a few billion years, the sun will burst in an event that will ultimately wipe out the earth and erase these offensive failures from the universe. So, at least we have that going for us. But until then, it would be neat if the players could tighten it up on their and the coaches could better put the players in a position to move the ball forward, matriculate down the field, and score some touchdowns while we’re still alive and kicking.
