LINK Chicago Bears: Deciphering Matt Nagy’s interview about the quarterbacks
Nagy responded with a resounding “no, Andy is our starter.” However, he then backpedals from that saying he can’t predict anything.
This is the time of year that coaches are all about misdirection, and the Chicago Bears like to believe they are one of the best at it — they aren’t. This is why media members are only allowed to divulge certain information and are limited to how much practice time they are allowed to watch. It’s a little ridiculous, but it is the world we live in.
Nagy is going to f-up Fields being NFL ready. Let the kid compete and if he’s our best option, so be it and he plays. If not, start who is our best option. How flipping hard is it? Sorry for ranting but Nagy just drives me to the edge.
Nagy engaged in some classic coach-speak nonsense that some crap reporters over-interpreted into meaning "NO CHANCE Fields starts the season". That is NOT what he said. I almost wish Nagy would just STFU about the topic altogether and just say "right now Andy is the #1--I have nothing else to say, check back in late August".
We are just starting the offseason program and no week 1 decisions should be made yet. We have all of TC and PS yet to go starting in 6 weeks or so. If at the conclusion of that, Dalton is the better QB and/or Fields doesn't look "ready", then yeah Dalton starts the season and you re-evaluate as the year goes on in practice. IF the opposite is true, Fields should start the season. This isn't that hard and there's no need to overthink it. Dalton shouldn't start just because he was "promised" anything and Fields shouldn't start just because he's the shiny new toy. Put the best QB out there, all factors considered.
I would add one more wrinkle to this and it has to do with Rodgers. If AR and GB kiss and make up, then I'd lean more to Dalton if the two look close. Let's face it, a Packers team with Rodgers at QB is easily the class of this division and most likely everyone else is playing for 2nd place. The Bears are probably a ~.500 team under this scenario. OTOH, if Rodgers sits out, retires, or gets traded, then the division is wide open and the Bears have a shot to win 10+ games. In that case, I'd lean more toward starting Fields right away.
All of this is fluid and we have only 100 pieces of this 1000-piece puzzle right now. Not enough information for strong opinions either way at this point.
I just listened to Nagy's press conference today and it was a good one. Especially regarding discussion of Fields. If you listen to it, at around the 19:25 mark I thought it was interesting when he talked about the QBs, all of them. I especially liked it when he compared where Mahomes was at this point with where Fields is right now. It was very encouraging while explaining that there is a boatload of stuff Justin Fields still needs to learn. It was a combination of being excited about Fields, while acknowledging there is work to do here.
Chicago is football crazy even in the worst of years. With the Justin Fields draft the fans are pretty dead-bang crazy. Just read the crazy stuff being posted on social media now... LOL, some of it makes you realize there are people out there that are flat nuts. So I get it, that Nagy is trying to be very careful in choosing his words in these pressers. He has to I guess. Otherwise someone takes something out of context, blows it up - and a forest fire of controversy is ramped up in a matter of hours. It's a good fanbase but a bunch of crazy zealots at the same time.
But I did like today's Nagy presser. Man, you can tell he's under immense pressure. He's handling it well considering all that's happening now.
Hmmm, that's an interesting contradiction there. Dalton wasn't "promised the starting job" but he doesn't have to win it in camp either?
Don't get that at all. Sounds pretty ridiculous to me.
After thinking about this for a bit, the only answer I can come up with is that Dalton, being a veteran who has experience (and has worked in a number of NFL offenses) may be more ready for that first game than a rookie who is new to the NFL. Andy Dalton would be okay starting initially - he's better than Trubisky or Foles anyway. I know the popular fan view is to start Fields, the shiny new toy guy - immediately. But maybe it's better long-term to not do that. Better for the team and Fields.
Nagy must believe that Fields needs time. More time than just the summer to get up to speed running the offense as well as he needs to, to be the QB1. That's all I can think of, anyway. And I'd rather they err on the side of caution here. When Fields is ready then definitely trot him out there and let him be the QB1.
I take it as Dalton has to LOSE the job for Fields to start week 1. That is in the realm of possibility.
After thinking about this for a bit, the only answer I can come up with is that Dalton, being a veteran who has experience (and has worked in a number of NFL offenses) may be more ready for that first game than a rookie who is new to the NFL. Andy Dalton would be okay starting initially - he's better than Trubisky or Foles anyway. I know the popular fan view is to start Fields, the shiny new toy guy - immediately. But maybe it's better long-term to not do that. Better for the team and Fields.
Nagy must believe that Fields needs time. More time than just the summer to get up to speed running the offense as well as he needs to, to be the QB1. That's all I can think of, anyway. And I'd rather they err on the side of caution here. When Fields is ready then definitely trot him out there and let him be the QB1.
I take it as Dalton has to LOSE the job for Fields to start week 1. That is in the realm of possibility.
So the starter job is his job to lose? Which confirms he's the starter.
After thinking about this for a bit, the only answer I can come up with is that Dalton, being a veteran who has experience (and has worked in a number of NFL offenses) may be more ready for that first game than a rookie who is new to the NFL. Andy Dalton would be okay starting initially - he's better than Trubisky or Foles anyway. I know the popular fan view is to start Fields, the shiny new toy guy - immediately. But maybe it's better long-term to not do that. Better for the team and Fields.
Nagy must believe that Fields needs time. More time than just the summer to get up to speed running the offense as well as he needs to, to be the QB1. That's all I can think of, anyway. And I'd rather they err on the side of caution here. When Fields is ready then definitely trot him out there and let him be the QB1.
I take it as Dalton has to LOSE the job for Fields to start week 1. That is in the realm of possibility.
I figure that although Fields will hopefully have a high ceiling, he may not be the better QB day-1 of this season. I know it's blasphemy to utter these words right now, but Andy Dalton may be the guy who gives the team the BEST chance to win in these early games at least. Win. Not lose.
I think fans are so crazy to see Fields start ASAP, they lose sight of the fact that these early wins are important, even if Fields does eventually start during the season. Every win matters. I'm not willing to admit, before the season even begins, that the Bears can't have a great season this year. Crazy things happen in the NFL every single year. Let the guy start who gives us the BEST opportunity to win - even these first few games of the season. LOL, these games count. I'd like to see us have a shot at WINNING the Division this year. Then maybe even do some winning in the playoffs.
At some point Fields' ceiling will pass that of Dalton. It could be very early - and maybe even by the 1st game of the season. But until he is, in fact, the guy who gives us the best chance to win, then let Dalton start. Just start the best guy. And no, it may not be Fields right out of the starting gate.
I take it as Dalton has to LOSE the job for Fields to start week 1. That is in the realm of possibility.
I figure that although Fields will hopefully have a high ceiling, he may not be the better QB day-1 of this season. I know it's blasphemy to utter these words right now, but Andy Dalton may be the guy who gives the team the BEST chance to win in these early games at least. Win. Not lose.
I think fans are so crazy to see Fields start ASAP, they lose sight of the fact that these early wins are important, even if Fields does eventually start during the season. Every win matters. I'm not willing to admit, before the season even begins, that the Bears can't have a great season this year. Crazy things happen in the NFL every single year. Let the guy start who gives us the BEST opportunity to win - even these first few games of the season. LOL, these games count. I'd like to see us have a shot at WINNING the Division this year. Then maybe even do some winning in the playoffs.
At some point Fields' ceiling will pass that of Dalton. It could be very early - and maybe even by the 1st game of the season. But until he is, in fact, the guy who gives us the best chance to win, then let Dalton start. Just start the best guy. And no, it may not be Fields right out of the starting gate.
I really hope this isn't a repeat of what happen 4 years ago. Remember Glennon was the Starter but Trubisky had the higher ceiling.