(670 The Score) As Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields uncorked a deep ball to the end zone, Soldier Field rose to its feet.
The moment came early in the fourth quarter of the Bears' game against the Bengals on Sept. 19 as they looked to seal their first victory of the young season, and this was the type of pristine pass that Chicago envisioned when it selected Fields at No. 11 overall in the NFL Draft. The well-placed ball would've gone for Fields' first career touchdown pass, except it fell through the hands of top receiver Allen Robinson.
The fans returned to their seats, and coach Matt Nagy glanced up from his play sheet.
“I didn't even see it,” Nagy said immediately after the game when asked about that play. “I was looking down for the next play.”
Just how much has Nagy missed during games while serving as the Bears’ offensive play-caller for most of his four seasons as head coach? That’s something he must strongly consider in the latest self-evaluation of his role, a process he's undertaking after his offense posted an abysmal 47 net yards in a 26-6 loss to the Browns on Sunday.
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When Nagy has time to look up from his card, he can see a scheme that set up Fields to fail in his first start. The Bears used five-man protections 13 times against the Browns on Sunday, when Fields was sacked nine times and under constant pressure. Nagy called just two designed runs for a quarterback who boasts a 4.4 40-yard dash time. He forced Fields to operate from a crumbling pocket rather than scheming to his strengths.
Does that sound familiar? It’s a similar problem that Nagy had with former Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, for whom he rarely moved the pocket or implemented an offense in tempo. Nagy has long been fixated on his play card, which he himself admitted was problematic last November when he relinquished play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.
"I do believe one of my strengths as a head coach is in the leadership role," Nagy said then. "This will give me an opportunity to step back and see things from a different position."
For Nagy, relinquishing play-calling duties means being able to better understand the “whys,” as he calls them, during and after each play. He can better understand what Fields is seeing and cater to the development of Chicago’s prized prospect rather than focusing on the next play. Nagy can better manage his team and the entire game, not just the offensive plays.
Nagy usually doesn't have a full understanding of why the Bears’ offense has struggled under his direction until he watches the film a day later. He hasn’t proved to simultaneously be a capable head coach and play-caller. The numbers make that clear.
The Bears have averaged 311 yards of offense in the 44 regular-season games that Nagy has led as the primary play-caller. That Nagy-specific figure would rank 29th among all NFL teams' average yardage since the start of the 2018 season. Chicago has averaged 21.8 points in 51 regular-season games since the start of the 2018 campaign, which ranks 23rd in the NFL in that span. Within that 51-game period, the Bears have averaged 20.9 points in the 44 games in which Nagy has called the plays, a mark that would rank 27th.
The Bears have averaged just 2.1 touchdowns per game with Nagy calling the plays, a reflection of how they have been forced to rely on their defense and field goals to stay competitive.
In the seven regular-season games in the latter half of the 2020 campaign in which Lazor called the plays, the Bears averaged 27.7 points and 348.9 yards in a small sample size. For context, the Chiefs and Nagy's mentor Andy Reid lead the NFL since 2018 in averaging 31 points and 407.2 yards per game.
Lazor would likely assume the Bears’ play-calling duties again if Nagy decided to relinquish that responsibility. It's a move Nagy needs to make now.
Nagy is in the fourth season of a five-year contract with the Bears, and his job security is tied to both his win-loss record and Fields' development. To ensure the best chance at having success in those dual goals, he should take his head out of the play card and focus on what his team needs.
"We need to do what's best for us, not what's best for Matt Nagy,” Nagy said last year after giving up play-calling the first time.
Once again, Nagy needs to do what’s best for the Bears – and in turn, his own future in Chicago.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.