Coaching Judgment Is Big Bears Problem, Not Necessarily Play Calls

Analysis: It's not simply a play-calling problem like many critics of Matt Nagy suggest, it's his overall decision making that needs a thorough examination after the Bears' 24-17 loss to Tennessee

It's not the play calling of coach Matt Nagy in need of scrutiny.

Calls for him to give up play calling keep popping up and no doubt will surface again after Sunday's 24-17 loss to Tennessee.

Rather, it's his coaching overall in need of severe scrutiny and not necessarily just the play calling. His decision making needs an overhaul. He's got to start realizinig he's not coaching the Kansas City Chiefs and play more to his defense.

Play calls have nothing to do with how the Bears could manage to pick up a first down on a tricky Barkevious Mingo run off a fake punt, and then when the offense finally has some momentum they decide to call timeout before the next play.

"We had a substitution with a wide receiver that was just a little bit off there," Nagy explained. "And I wanted to make sure that we were perfect. I didn't want to do what happened last week where we had a 5-yard penalty, and we just, so that happens. That probably happens across the league more than you think."

Uh, no, it doesn't—not to good teams anyway.

A week ago they had a delay of game on a fourth-and-2 play they were going for from their own 19, which makes no sense anyway, and if the intent was to draw the Saints offsides it backfired in 5 yards of lost field position at a point on the field where each yard is sacred.

The other questionable bit of coaching came early in the second half against Tennessee when the Bears were facing fourth-and-1 at Tennessee's 31. This was when Arlington Hambright false-started, followed by a Jimmy Graham false start.

First, false starts are lack of discipline and sure that's on the players. But the well-coached teams do not commit such silly errors.

The Bears were No. 1 in the league in penalties and this speaks poorly of the attention to detail being paid by players and coaches.

This isn't even the most questionable aspect of those two plays.

It's fourth-and-1 and your team hasn't scored. You're still in the game at this point and your defense is proudly holding its own against a modern day version of Earl Campbell. Wouldn't you want some points here, a field goal?

It's a 48-yard field goal, 49 if you need an extra yard on the snap back. Even after the initial penalty, a 53-yard field goal wasn't out of the question for Santos after he made a 51-yarder into the wind last week to send a game into overtime. He kicked a 55-yarder earlier this year, tying the third longest in Bears history. He has made 12 straight kicks.

So definitely a 49-yard field goal or even 53 or 54 yards are strong possibilities on a day when kicked balls were traveling great distances. The punters were proof of this.

This isn't the first time Nagy has decided against a field goal this year.

At the beginning of the year he said he wanted touchdowns, not field goals.

Well, they had already proven they had no running game for reasons out of their control, COVID-19, injuries and such. Why risk going for it?

From where I'm sitting, and most likely where his defense sits, those three points would have looked mighty nice.

With a field goal, maybe you're not under as much pressure on offense to put up points the next series and Anthony Miller holds onto the ball instead of fumbling, a turnover that let Sheldon King have a touchdown return. The whole game takes on a different tone with three points.

Rather than disdain three points, he needs to take a look at his defense out there fighting valiantly and in need of some hope in the form of even three points.

 Nagy id gamble in 2018 on occasion, but he also played more to his defense and relied on them. It's like he has lost confidence in the one capable group he does have. 

Beggars can't be choosers. 

At some point, Nagy has to recognize he not only lacks the talent to play the system he wants, but he doesn't have much offensive talent period. This is especially the case now on the offensive line due to injuries and COVID-19.

The time for aggressiveness is over. The time for conservatism and to back your defense is at hand.

When your defense looks as strong as the Bears defense did on Sunday, it's a shame to toss away such efforts.

"I thought our defense played really, really well," Nagy said. "They're doing everything that we're asking them to do and trying to get that field position going. Special teams played well. And then, just, recurring theme here on offense. That starts with me and we’ve gotta get it better."

No doubt about that, and it applies to decision making.

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