Chicago Bears: More problems than just Mitchell Trubisky

The Chicago Bears looked lost again on offense this past Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Most want to blame Mitchell Trubisky. The others want to blame Matt Nagy. The real problems go much deeper.

This Chicago Bears game started out ugly from the very beginning. The offense started the game by going three and out. Then, on fourth down, the team allows J.T. Gray to come in free and block the punt. If not for Patrick O’Donnell batting the ball out of the back of the end zone, New Orleans would have scored a touchdown early. Instead, it was just two points and the Bears are still in it.

This team was fun to watch last year. They have not been as fun this year, but they have the same record as they did in 2018 to start the year. The problem this year is how well the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are playing. If the Chicago Bears have any chance of winning a playoff spot, it will have to come as a Wild Card team.

Here is the thing. The way this team has been playing, they are clearly not a playoff team right now. This does not mean they cannot turn things around, but Matt Nagy and Mitchell Trubisky are losing time. The team needs to string together wins and this feels impossible.

Some fans want to blame Mitchell Trubisky. Others want to blame Matt Nagy. The problem is that there is plenty of blame to go around. One person is not to blame here. Matt Nagy is not helping Mitchell Trubisky (or Chase Daniel for that matter) and Trubisky is not doing Nagy any favors. This does not even include the other players who are not playing up to expectations.

Matt Nagy needs to stop being so stubborn with his play calling. This is where changes need to start. Line Trubisky up under center and allow David Montgomery to follow a lead blocker into the middle of the line a handful of times each game. Instead of Vontae Mack no matter what, Nagy needs to put a note on his clipboard. Run the ball no matter what.

David Montgomery had two carries for six yards. This is a three yards per carry average. On the other side, Latavius Murray had nine carries for 30 yards and a 3.3 yards per carry average. What happened? Matt Nagy abandoned the run while Sean Payton kept running. Montgomery finished with his two carries whereas Murray saw 18 more carries for 89 yards. This is a big, big problem.

In his post-game interview, Matt Nagy made it clear that he wants positive production plays. According to him, zero, one and two-yard runs are not productive. Nagy, let me be real with you for a minute. It is not about the production of that play necessarily. Instead, the focus is on wearing down a defensive front and keeping a defense honest. Running the ball seven times is a recipe for disaster. Especially in such a close game. And yes, this game was close going into halftime.

This team needs to be less flashy and just needs to punch some guys in the face. Trubisky is not off the hook either. I don’t care how bad the play-calling is each week, Trubisky needs to make bigger plays. The miss to Taylor Gabriel was bad. The miss to Anthony Miller was bad. Miscommunication was the problem with the second one, but even if Miller went to the outside, I am not sure he’s catching that football.

Now, I am going to call out every other position. This team is playing undisciplined football. It starts with the coach and trickles down from the quarterback to the skill positions and then to the offensive line. Guys are not communicating well. Guys are missing their blocks or making the wrong blocking assignment. Players look to be walking around with no enthusiasm outside of Allen Robinson. This has to stop.

I want to see what we saw in the last four minutes of this game. I do not care if the Saints were in prevent defense, I saw players actually putting in the effort at the end of the game. Tarik Cohen did not like being taunted about his height. He got angry and started playing angry.

We saw Anthony Miller and Allen Robinson making key blocks downfield. Something that has not happened all year. The tempo was up and Trubisky was spreading the ball around. That is what the Chicago Bears offense needs to do every week. Commit more to the run, play quick and consistently make the seven to eight-yard passes. Then take strategic shots downfield.

The answer is somewhere. Whether it is Matt Nagy giving up the play calling. Whether it is Mitchell Trubisky taking more shots downfield. Maybe Ryan Pace needs to make a move before the trade deadline. What I can tell you though, is that Mitchell Trubisky is not the only problem. The problems go much, much deeper and I am not sure they figure it out in time this season.