CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Bears coach Matt Nagy has given up play-calling duties on offense and is letting coordinator Bill Lazor take over that role for Monday night's game against Minnesota.
WBBM Newsradio's Josh Liss and Pat Cassidy speak with Nagy ahead of Monday night's game.
Liss: What's so tough about Minnesota and how's the attitude of your group and the approach to try and bust out of this slump?
"The attitude is really good, guys. I think that's what's important to know about the character of our players and our coaches. We know we are going to have a tough test tonight against a team that has won two in a row and it's obviously a division game. We talked about the significance of what these division games are. It'll be good weather for us tonight, we are ready to go," Nagy said.
Cassidy: Every game is important, we all know that, ending a losing streak, the Packers and Detroit Lions won yesterday. Is this game a little bit more important than most at this point?
"Well, I'd say the biggest thing is just for us, as I was saying earlier, it is a division game, and one way to make sure you get into the playoffs is by winning your division and for us, right now, after losing three in a row, I think more than anything regardless of anyone we are playing or any game that's up, let's get back to in the win column. We had a good week of practice. I think the guys are in a good place right now, the coaches are in a good place, and that's what we are all looking forward to," Nagy said.
Liss: You told us last week everything was on the table, so what are you expecting by handing off the play calling duties to assistant coach Bill Lazor? What will be your adjusted role on the sideline tonight?
"It will be interesting for me to see how that thing goes," Nagy said. "I have never been apart of this before as a head coach, as you guys know. And being able to be really a great leader and situationally be able to help out these coordinators and the players on the sidelines, and the energy and just kind of the positivity, and just being there to be able to support all these guys, that's the biggest part. I think when you hand off play calling duties, it shows the trust you have in your staff, and Bill Lazor is just somebody I know he's done this for a long time and I am looking forward to him doing it."
Liss: I think fans are looking forward to seeing how it plays out as well; and an exciting extra additional layer to the game: Nick Foles, he has had his hands full and his feet busy. What do you absolutely need from Foles tonight? What is essential from your quarterback?
"Well the biggest thing is to make sure we do everything we can to get into a rhythm offensively speaking: score touchdowns, take care of the football. We talked about respecting the football and with the defense that we having, playing that field position battle; and then just be himself - go out there, cut it loose, just have some fun. All his teammates are really looking forward to playing hard for each other and I think just for all of us together to put one good game together."
Liss: We asked Tom Thayer Friday if NFL rushing leader Dalvin Cook was capable of lighting up the Bears defense, and Tom's response was I think Cook should be worried about getting lit up by the Bears defense. How do you see that part of the game playing out?
"Well that's going to be a big challenge for us. He's not the number one rusher in the NFL for any other reason than he's a really, really good running back. His offensive line is playing really hard, their team is good. But our guys understand that. We faced a really good running back and offensive line the other week in Tennessee with Derrick Henry; and again, this is what you get in the NFL. We have a lot of respect for him, but in the same point and time, we want to make sure that we can go out there and just play really tough black and blue type football and make sure we tackle him and get after that football," Nagy said.
WBBM Newsradio will speak with Matt Nagy again Monday night for the pre-game and post-game shows, before and after the Bears-Vikings broadcast that kicks off at 4:20 p.m.
The Chicago Bears take on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night at 7:15 p.m. for Game 10.
