Chicago Bears: Matt Nagy now all alone in benching Justin Fields

The Matt Nagy criticism has reached an all-time high. The Chicago Bears rookie quarterback, Justin Fields continues to roll with the punches with maturity and professionalism, but the rest of the football world has continued to raise their voice.

For months now, the growing suspicion around Nagy’s decision to keep Andy Dalton as his sure-fire starting quarterback is that the coach promised his veteran the job. That’s it. A simple promise.

However, even Nagy himself once admitted that much can change after making a promise such as that. Speaking with Cris Collinsworth a few months back, Nagy clarified that a lot can happen between then (mid-June) and Week 1, opening the door for a potential switch at quarterback.

Nagy was open and said that “promises can get crazy” while also acknowledging that nothing is ever set in stone during the summer months.

"”You know how it goes. There’s so many things that can happen between today and Week 1.”"

Matt Nagy has done this to himself, and the Chicago Bears look the fool because of it all.

You know how the story goes. Andy Dalton remained the Bears’ starter going into Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams. But, even prior to that, this whole situation had the football world ablaze with confusion.

Among those confused was Warren Sharp of NBC Sports and The Ringer. Back in August, Sharp tweeted that the Bears’ best plan going into this year was for Fields to be the quarterback and Bill Lazor calling plays, but instead, they’ll likely roll with Dalton under center with Nagy calling plays.

Sharp gets it. He understands what every Bears fan has seen over the past three years. Not only is Nagy unable to do what’s best for his team at the most important position in football, but he’s an inconsistent play-caller.

More recently, Kyle Brandt of NFL Network went on a rant that was completely spot-on.

Every word in the above video was accurate. Brandt has put it the best possible way any of us could possibly put it. At this point, nobody knows what Nagy is thinking. Nobody understands why the head coach of the Chicago Bears can’t pursue the one fundamental goal he’s supposed to achieve: doing what’s best for his football team.

It has now gotten to the point where his coaching staff is taking subtle jabs. Wednesday, when speaking to the media, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was asked by NBC Sports’ Alex Shapiro whether or not he thought Fields was ready for a full offensive series, based on his play against the Rams. Lazor responded bluntly, saying that he thought Fields was ready for whatever is thrown at him after the preseason.

Shapiro then asked Lazor why Fields wasn’t getting those additional chances.

"“I think Matt (Nagy) has probably addressed what his philosophy is on the quarterback position. I don’t think that’s any different. I don’t think there’s any reason for me to answer that.”"

That’s about as crystal clear of an answer you can get without being crystal clear in your wording.

Lazor thinks Fields is ready, there’s no doubt about that. But when answering the question, notice that Lazor referred to it as “his (Nagy’s) philosophy,” and not “our philosophy.”

There is reason to believe that Lazor and Nagy are on very different pages with this situation. Lazor doesn’t take any ownership of this quarterback plan or philosophy, therefore he is putting Nagy on an island.

“I don’t think there’s any reason for me to answer that.”

It is fairly evident that everyone with any sense for the game of football believes Fields should be the Bears’ quarterback.

Yet, Nagy continues to do harm to his team by not putting the team first. He thinks he’s doing what’s best for Fields, but that’s not his job. His job is to do what’s best for the Chicago Bears, period.

There are now also significant odds that Nagy is the first NFL head coach fired within the season.

This situation is getting out of hand, and quickly. If Nagy doesn’t figure it out soon, he’ll be gone, and Lazor will be in — which might actually work out for the team’s benefit in the end. Lazor knows what he’s doing.

Here’s to hoping the madness ends soon, one way or another.