Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2018 12:11:37 GMT -6
Bears GM Ryan Pace bets his job on Matt Nagy
Steve RosenbloomSteve RosenbloomContact ReporterChicago Tribune
Link: www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-ryan-pace-rosenbloom-20180108-story.html
Say this for Ryan Pace: The Bears GM is not playing it safe with his job.
Pace fired the older and experienced John Fox and went in the other direction to replace him. He went the way the Rams did with Sean McVay, who brought Jared Goff from bust to boss. It was a risk for the Rams. It’s a risk for the Bears. Pace’s new head coach is not a hire based on getting another contract extension like the one he just received.
In fact, Pace’s hire of Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy could mean that Pace won’t even survive the end of his aforementioned two-year extension.
Nagy is 39 and has never been a head coach. After playing at Delaware and quarterbacking in the Arena Football League, Nagy went to work for Andy Reid in Philadelphia, then followed him to Kansas City. He was named quarterbacks coach in 2013, and is credited with helping Alex Smith to realize some of the potential the 49ers saw in him when they made him the first overall pick in 2005. The Chiefs promoted Nagy to offensive coordinator in 2016.
Reid gave Nagy playcalling duties the last five weeks of this season. The Chiefs averaged more than 28 points a game and went 4-1. Nagy also was the guy calling plays in Kansas City’s terrible collapse in a home playoff game, and that’s part of the big gamble Pace is taking.
The Bears were able to interview Nagy last weekend because he couldn’t figure out how to get his offense to score in the second half of a playoff game at home. This is the guy Pace believes is the answer.
Recency bias can be a bad thing. Same goes for putting too much emphasis on one game. But this was a playoff game at home, people, and this was bad.
In a loss to a Tennessee team that planned to fire its coach if the game went the way the Chiefs’ 21-3 halftime lead suggested, Nagy’s offense failed to run the ball to eat clock, failed to get the ball to the league’s most dangerous ball carrier, Kareem Hunt, more than five times, and failed to score in the last two quarters. I know the Chiefs lost their tight end, but come on, not so much as a field goal in the third or fourth quarters?
Sorry, but I believe the Bears have had enough of playcallers who can’t produce without a professional tight end.
But apparently, Pace hasn’t, and he’s betting his job on this.
Nagy and the entire Chiefs coaching staff reportedly loved Trubisky and Pat Mahomes before the draft. Pace traded up to get Trubisky, which apparently prompted the Chiefs to trade up to ensure they got Mahomes. Kindred spirits, Pace and Nagy.
I can imagine that’s all Nagy had to say in the interview. I imagine he could deflect all the flaws and recent shortcomings of doing his job by starting with that. I imagine Pace saying. “You had me at Trubisky.’’ If you love Trubisky, Pace loves you, no matter the risk, apparently.
I felt better about Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. They had been head coaches previously. They were experienced calling plays for years. Those things matter. See Mike Tice’s time as Bears offensive coordinator for details.
What’s more, Shurmur’s hiring would’ve hurt a divisional rival, which has been about the only way the Bears could hurt a divisional rival lately.
Both hires likely would’ve helped Trubisky improve to whatever degree. Both would’ve been safer hires because of their credentials.
But Pace didn’t care. Pace was aggressive. It might turn out to be described as impulsive. Either way, Pace went around the league once with his helicopter parents George McCaskey and Ted Phillips and made his choice. The young GM chose a young head coach and playcaller to groom a young quarterback. Pace is all in the way he has said before. Pace just shoved Nagy and all his Bears employment chips into the center of the table.
Steve RosenbloomSteve RosenbloomContact ReporterChicago Tribune
Link: www.chicagotribune.com/sports/rosenblog/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-ryan-pace-rosenbloom-20180108-story.html
Say this for Ryan Pace: The Bears GM is not playing it safe with his job.
Pace fired the older and experienced John Fox and went in the other direction to replace him. He went the way the Rams did with Sean McVay, who brought Jared Goff from bust to boss. It was a risk for the Rams. It’s a risk for the Bears. Pace’s new head coach is not a hire based on getting another contract extension like the one he just received.
In fact, Pace’s hire of Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy could mean that Pace won’t even survive the end of his aforementioned two-year extension.
Nagy is 39 and has never been a head coach. After playing at Delaware and quarterbacking in the Arena Football League, Nagy went to work for Andy Reid in Philadelphia, then followed him to Kansas City. He was named quarterbacks coach in 2013, and is credited with helping Alex Smith to realize some of the potential the 49ers saw in him when they made him the first overall pick in 2005. The Chiefs promoted Nagy to offensive coordinator in 2016.
Reid gave Nagy playcalling duties the last five weeks of this season. The Chiefs averaged more than 28 points a game and went 4-1. Nagy also was the guy calling plays in Kansas City’s terrible collapse in a home playoff game, and that’s part of the big gamble Pace is taking.
The Bears were able to interview Nagy last weekend because he couldn’t figure out how to get his offense to score in the second half of a playoff game at home. This is the guy Pace believes is the answer.
Recency bias can be a bad thing. Same goes for putting too much emphasis on one game. But this was a playoff game at home, people, and this was bad.
In a loss to a Tennessee team that planned to fire its coach if the game went the way the Chiefs’ 21-3 halftime lead suggested, Nagy’s offense failed to run the ball to eat clock, failed to get the ball to the league’s most dangerous ball carrier, Kareem Hunt, more than five times, and failed to score in the last two quarters. I know the Chiefs lost their tight end, but come on, not so much as a field goal in the third or fourth quarters?
Sorry, but I believe the Bears have had enough of playcallers who can’t produce without a professional tight end.
But apparently, Pace hasn’t, and he’s betting his job on this.
Nagy and the entire Chiefs coaching staff reportedly loved Trubisky and Pat Mahomes before the draft. Pace traded up to get Trubisky, which apparently prompted the Chiefs to trade up to ensure they got Mahomes. Kindred spirits, Pace and Nagy.
I can imagine that’s all Nagy had to say in the interview. I imagine he could deflect all the flaws and recent shortcomings of doing his job by starting with that. I imagine Pace saying. “You had me at Trubisky.’’ If you love Trubisky, Pace loves you, no matter the risk, apparently.
I felt better about Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. They had been head coaches previously. They were experienced calling plays for years. Those things matter. See Mike Tice’s time as Bears offensive coordinator for details.
What’s more, Shurmur’s hiring would’ve hurt a divisional rival, which has been about the only way the Bears could hurt a divisional rival lately.
Both hires likely would’ve helped Trubisky improve to whatever degree. Both would’ve been safer hires because of their credentials.
But Pace didn’t care. Pace was aggressive. It might turn out to be described as impulsive. Either way, Pace went around the league once with his helicopter parents George McCaskey and Ted Phillips and made his choice. The young GM chose a young head coach and playcaller to groom a young quarterback. Pace is all in the way he has said before. Pace just shoved Nagy and all his Bears employment chips into the center of the table.
