Matt Nagy still has plenty of room to grow but he already has the number of two NFC North rivals
This is not a post to praise Matt Nagy. After a 12-4 year, fans wanted a step forward and another playoff appearance. The team failed to do so and had multiple letdowns throughout the year. However, just as fans point to moments of growth for Mitch Trubisky, a third-year quarterback, Nagy is still a second-year head coach who has plenty to learn as well.
Despite an up and down year, Nagy has gone to 20-12 through the first 32 games of his career. A lot better than John Fox, who started 9-23 in Chicago.
He also has consistently taken care of two of the team’s three division rivals. We know that the Packers have been the kings of the North for a bit now, but the Bears have been lumped in with the Vikings and Lions for too long.
Over the past two years, Matt Nagy has gone 8-0 against those two teams. Of course, that means he is 9-3 against the NFC North with a 1-3 record against Green Bay. Still, he has taken care of business against the other teams in the NFC North.
Matt Patricia and Mike Zimmer are defensive-minded head coaches, and Nagy has not struggled to solve either mystery. Nagy and Trubisky have particularly had fun exploiting Patricia.
Does Nagy have a lot to learn as a head coach? Yes. Has he shown plenty of growth in his two years? Yes. Do the early returns show hope for a coach who is just now getting his footing and will only get better as he ages and gains experience? It seems like it.
So, yes it is fair to be disappointed. However, Nagy is still taking care of his baby brothers in the division, and has shown enough growth and winning in two years that he can still be trusted as a head coach in the NFL.