Chicago Bears: Three major disappointments in loss to Packers
Disappointment #1: Head Coach Matt Nagy
Bears fans were ready for a change after the 2017 season and more pathetic play from a team led by coach John Fox. When Fox was fired after that season, there was a chance for a return to prominence for the historic franchise.
Enter coach Matt Nagy. He was a hailed as a disciple of Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid and labeled as a potential offensive genius. In his first season as Bears coach, he led the team to the playoffs with a 12-4 record. He was named NFL Coach of the Year.
Going for it on fourth-and-10 rather than attempt a 51-yard FG with a kicker said to have a big leg in a 7-3 game? With an offense that clearly is out of sync and struggling? That's one explanation I look forward to hearing from Matt Nagy. Or, another one.
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) September 6, 2019
Coming into the Packers game, Nagy hyped up his offense by saying how much he couldn’t wait to unleash his new weapons. He was set to showcase quarterback Mitch Trubisky’s improvements as well.
However, Nagy had a terrible night in terms of playcalling on Thursday. He twice decided to get cute on third and short, trying gadget plays instead of pounding the ball with rookie running back David Montgomery.
Speaking of Montgomery, he made a couple of great plays in his first NFL game. It’s okay if you didn’t notice because Nagy apparently forgot that he could use the dynamic rookie.
OUR BALL.#GBvsCHI #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/ckND5g9lRz
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 6, 2019
Montgomery finished with six carries for 18 yards, and one catch for 27 yards. It was frustrating to watch the Bears use Montgomery during the preseason, and then barely use him even after he made some plays.
Nagy’s mistakes were plentiful in the loss, but one of the biggest ones was his inability to call plays that highlight Trubisky’s strengths. Instead, Trubisky finished with a pretty terrible stat line and lots of fans questioning his abilities.