Word Is Matt Nagy May Still Not Reach End Of The Season
Matt Nagy can’t hide from reality anymore. His Chicago Bears are on a four-game losing streak. The third such time this has happened to them in the past three seasons. It is not a trend that shines a favorable light on a head coach. The team is 3-6 and faces long odds of fighting their way back into the playoff picture. Combined with one of the worst offenses in the league this season? It shouldn’t be a surprise that rumors continue to swirl that Nagy is out at the end of the year.
However, it seems even that might not be automatic as well. Is it possible the Bears could still fire the head coach before the regular season ends? Most people would’ve expected that to happen during the bye week. When it didn’t, the immediate assumption was obvious. George McCaskey will keep Nagy aboard until the season ends. Then he’ll make the decision. That is how the organization has always done it. Yet according to Jeff Hughes of Da Bears Blog, there is a growing belief around the league this could change.
Especially if the Bears get crushed on Sunday.
I would still need to see it to believe it, but there’s a ton of chatter about Matt Nagy being fired if the Bears stink it up Sunday. And a lot is from people outside the Bears.
— DaBearsBlog (@dabearsblog) November 16, 2021
Hughes has proven to have solid sources in the past. So this is definitely interesting. Remember in addition to losing their last four games, Chicago has also been blown out by double-digit points in three of them.
- 24-14 to the Packers
- 38-3 to the Buccaneers
- 33-22 to the 49ers
While their loss in Pittsburgh was more competitive (29-27), it still doesn’t look too great for Nagy. Both for the fact that the Bears got flagged 12 times in the game and that the Steelers tied the winless Detroit Lions this past weekend. This team just can’t seem to get out of its own way even when they play well. Now they face a Ravens team with the #2 offense in the league and hold one of the top seeds in the AFC. It isn’t at all a challenge to envision Chicago getting boat raced in this game.
Matt Nagy will need his survival instincts more than ever
Say this for the head coach. Every time it seems like one more loss will finally end him, he somehow manages to scramble out of the net for a win. It happened in 2019 against Detroit and in 2020 against Houston. The difference those times was both teams were terrible. Baltimore is now. They’re talented, battled-tested, and well-coached. Do the Bears have it in them to pull off an upset?
The Ravens are good but also flawed. They have the worst pass defense in the NFL right now. Justin Fields is playing much better football lately. If the offensive line can protect him, he may have a big day. It is the defense that should be worried about. The Bears are 23rd against this run this year. The Ravens rushing attack is 1st. Combine that with a sudden difficult rushing the passer? It wouldn’t surprise anybody to see Lamar Jackson run and throw all over them.
Yet the biggest mismatch might be on the sidelines.
John Harbaugh is one of the best head coaches in the business. A master motivator and strong tactician. His team is always well-prepared. Matt Nagy can motivate too but preparation and discipline continue to be issues with his team. If the Bears play with the same sloppiness they have for the past two months? This game might indeed get ugly.