Bad News Bears

 January 13, 2021

I do not know about you, but I am pissed off. The Bears are bringing back both Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy for next year. This is similar to what Jerry Reinsdorf's teams do, prioritize loyalty over winning. Probably a bigger reason they are bringing these two back is that Bears management doesn't want to admit their mistakes. It’s hard to believe that management thought beating teams like Houston, Minnesota and Jacksonville meant anything. There was no improvement on last year’s 8-8 season and an ugly performance in a playoff loss. This may sound like a broken record, however, it bears repeating.

General Manager Ryan Pace has only one first round pick signed for next year. Although he has had a modicum of success in later rounds, it’s the first round where you find game changing players. He did trade for Khalil Mack, giving up two first round draft picks. This made a good defense an elite one. After his first season he regressed and the former Defensive Player of the Year is no longer the best player on that side of the ball. Pace stunned the NFL, picking QB Mitch Trubisky second overall in 2017. This set the franchise back four years. I’m not going to chastise him for not picking Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson, as there were question marks on all three. The problem was in college Trubisky was a back-up until his senior season. Good QBs usually start in their second or third year in college. Pace’s latest disaster is not extending the contract of their best offensive player, Allen Robinson. This has already left a sour taste in Robinson’s mouth. The Bears could use the franchise tag to re-sign him, but that’s why he wanted out at Jacksonville.

McCaskey, Phillips and Pace were all culprits in the hiring of Matt Nagy. He was put in charge to improve the offense and develop Trubisky. He failed miserably on both accounts. The Bears went 12-4 in his first year and he was voted Coach of the Year. However, without Vic Fangio’s defense that team finishes 8-8 at best.  Making the playoffs endeared him the Bears brass. The loss in that playoff game is usually attributed to Cody Parkey missing a game winning field goal.  The only reason he needed to kick was that Nagy’s offense only generated a whopping 15 points. His mystery play calling is baffling and he still doesn’t know how to install an effective running game.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they re-signed Trubisky. He hasn’t shown any improvement in four years. He still has lousy footwork and can’t read defenses. His accuracy is pretty good, unless you need a pass of more than 7 yards. Even on those rare occasions when he throws downfield, his receivers have to make great catches for completions. He is also prone to turnovers. Particularly frustrating are interceptions in the end zone.

You can probably bank on another losing season in 2021. The Bears will again entrust Pace to choose a quarterback in the first round. Getting into the playoffs this year was the worst thing that could have happened. Their first pick is 20^th overall, where it will be hard to find a quarterback of the future.