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"All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today." ~ Pope Paul VI
10-step plan Matt Nagy will follow to fix the Bears offense.
By Matt Eurich
"All life demands struggle. Those who have everything given to them become lazy, selfish, and insensitive to the real values of life. The very striving and hard work that we so constantly try to avoid is the major building block in the person we are today." ~ Pope Paul VI
10-step plan Matt Nagy will follow to fix the Bears offense.
By Matt Eurich
(Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski, USA TODAY Sports)
Whether it was Loggains who was limiting the potential of the offense, or it was Fox who had a stranglehold on how the team's offense should be run, it was a rough two seasons with the Bears on that side of the ball. In 2016 the unit saw Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley all start under center with mixed results, Jordan Howard became a Pro Bowler as a rookie (after the team did not start him in the first three games) and watched Alshon Jeffery leave in free agency after the season. Last year the Bears did a bit more to add some weapons on offense, moving up in the draft to take Mitch Trubisky second overall and adding a dynamic playmaker in Tarik Cohen in the fourth round.
After another season in which Chicago's offense was among the worst in the league, general manager Ryan Pace set out to overhaul that side of the ball. Nagy comes to Chicago with previous experience as the offensive coordinator in Kansas City and he will call plays out of the gate. Nagy also brought along a new offensive coordinator in former Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich and added one of the best offensive line coaches in all of football in Harry Hiestand to the mix.
Step 1: Stay creative with play calls
One of the biggest downfalls for Loggains as a play-caller for the Bears was his inability to really surprise the opposition. There were occasions last season where he had Cohen attempting passes out of the shotgun or he ran a creative two-point conversion in Trubisky's first game on Monday Night Football, but he far too often was predictable. There were times last season where Chicago was consistently running the football on first and second downs before being faced with third-and-long on a consistent basis. One major upgrade to Chicago's offense will be how Nagy is able to consistently change things up to keep the defense on its toes.
Step 2: Continue to use Jordan Howard as a workhorse
The moment Nagy was hired there were questions about how Jordan Howard fits into his offense. While in Kansas City he had a back like Kareem Hunt last season who do a little bit of everything with the football in his hands. Howard has proven in his first two years in the league to be a reliable running back between the tackles, but his struggles come when asked to catch the football. Even if the belief is Howard cannot be effective in the passing game, he can be very effective in the running game. Howard rushed for a Bears rookie record of 1,313 yards with six touchdowns in 2016 before rushing for 1,122 yards with nine touchdowns last year. No player in team history has rushed for more yards in his first two years in the league than Howard and Nagyneeds to continue to utilize his young back as a workhorse.
Step 3: Take advantage of Mitch Trubisky's athleticism
Trubisky is an athlete at the quarterback position. He is not the type of signal-caller who will run all over an opposing defense like Michael Vick did during the peak of his NFL career, but Trubisky has the right tools to be effective with the football in his hands when asked to tuck and run. Trubisky ran the ball a total of 41 times last season for 248 yards with two rushing touchdowns. In his time at NorthCarolina he ran the ball 120 times for 439 yards with eight touchdowns. He will not be someone who is going to put up 800 rushing yards in a season, but he is talented enough to get the Bears decent chunks of yardage on the ground. To truly put a defense on their heels this season, Nagy would be wise to draw up some opportunities for his quarterback to use his legs.
Step 4: Take advantage of Trey Burton in the middle
Trey Burton was among some of Chicago's biggest signings this offseason. He was used sporadically during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles but fits the mold of what a tight end should be in this system. Burton is set to be the team's "U" tight end, meaning he will more often than not he will be split-out, away from the offensive line. What the Bears will then be able to do is take advantage of his size (6'3", 235 pounds) primarily in the middle of the field. Burton has caught 63 passes for 629 yards with six touchdowns in his career and has done the majority of his damage by finding a soft spot in coverage in the middle of the field. Expect to see Nagy and Trubisky lean heavily on him in the passing game this season.
Step 5: Get Allen Robinson involved early
Allen Robinson was the prize of free agency for the Bears this offseason. The former Pro Bowl wideout has all the tools to thrive in Chicago's system. What will be important over the course of training camp and the preseason is getting him involved early. With Robinson coming off an ACL injury he suffered in Week 1 last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he has been unable to do a lot of work during the offseason program. He did finally get an opportunity to do some work in individual drills, but at this point his connection with Trubisky is unknown. He is the most well-rounded wide receiver on Chicago's roster and will have to get involved early in the passing game in order for him and Trubisky to form that necessary bond.
Step 6: Throw it deep
To play off the first step of being more creative, Chicago needs to allow Trubisky to throw the football deep. According to PlayerProfiler.com, Trubisky registered just 30 deep-ball attempts (passes that go 20 yards or more through the air) last season in his total of 330 attempts. He ranked 32nd in the entire NFL with those numbers. Chicago was apprehensive to allow him to throw the ball deep last year. With new weapons available who can stretch the field with their speed, it would make a lot of sense for the Bears to allow him to try to push the ball through the air. Chicago does not need to have him attempt 10-plus deep balls a game but it would make sense to allow him to do it much more than he did a year ago in order to keep defenses honest.
Step 7: Switch it up at the "Zebra" position
One of the most exciting positions in Chicago's new system is called the "Zebra." That spot, which is essentially the slot wideout spot, will feature a lot of varying looks this season. The two players who will receive a lot of looks out of that spot are expected to be Tarik Cohen and Taylor Gabriel. Cohen caught 53 passes for 353 yards last season with one receiving touchdown, while Gabriel caught 33 passes for 378 yards with one touchdown. Both have dynamic speed and are perfect fits in this system because of their burst and impressive vision. Rookie second-round pick Anthony Miller should also have an opportunity to get some chances to play at the Zebra spot as well this year.
Step 8: Reintroduce the screen game
The Bears have seen the screen game be successful in the past but got away from it at times last season. This year Nagy must integrate it into his scheme. Howard still can be a liability in that regard, but Cohen and fellow running back Benny Cunningham proved last year they can make plays with proper blocking in front of them. Another area that could be utilized in the screen game is both Gabriel and Miller. The two have tremendous vision and are dangerous when they get the football in their hands.
Step 9: Make Adam Shaheen a red-zone option
The Bears have their every-down tight end in Burton and a blocking tight end in Dion Sims. In AdamShaheen they have someone who can do a little bit of both. Even better, he has all the tools to be a red-zone threat for Chicago this season. At 6'6" and 270 pounds, Shaheen's usage last season by the Bears was questionable. In games in which he played well early the offense shifted toward eliminating him as a threat. In 13 games with seven starts he caught 12 passes for 127 yards with three touchdowns. He showed a willingness to go up and get the football last season and his tremendous size gives him an advantage when trying to box out smaller defensive backs. If he has a linebacker on him he can then use his athleticism to get an edge. He may not haul in a lot of receptions overall, but Shaheen can be a real threat in the red zone if Nagy understands how to use him properly.
Step 10: Play to the strengths of the offensive line
Chicago's offensive line should be better this year if Kyle Long can remain healthy. Gone is former Pro Bowler Josh Sitton, but Chicago feels good about second-round pick James Daniels eventually taking over that spot. Nagy must take a look at what are the strengths of the offensive line andplayed into those strengths. Long and right tackle Bobby Massie are a strong tandem in the power-running game, while left tackle Charles Leno is an athletic lineman who does a good job of getting out in front on screen passes. Additionally, center Cody Whitehair is a strong anchor in the middle of the field who can also get to the second level as a run-blocker. Nagy must understand which players (and sides of the offensive line) can do what well and build his offense around the strengths of his big guys up front.
On this Date in Sports History: Today is Tuesday, 06/12/2018.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1839 - Abner Doubleday created the game of baseball, according to the legend. However, evidence has surfaced that indicates that the game of baseball was played before 1800.
1939 - The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was dedicated in Cooperstown, New York.
1948 - Ben Hogan won his first U.S. Open golf classic.
1967 - The Senators beat Chicago, 6-5, in 22 innings. The game lasted six hours, 38 minutes and ended at 2:43 a.m. and caused the league to adopt a curfew stating that no inning may start after 1:00 a.m.
1981 - Major league baseball players began a 49 day strike. The issue was free-agent compensation.
1985 - Wayne "The Great One" Gretzky was named winner of the NHL's Hart Trophy. The award is given to the league Most Valuable Player.
1991 - The Chicago Bulls won their first NBA championship. The Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one.
1994 - Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were murdered outside her home in Los Angeles. O.J. Simpson was later acquitted of the killings, but he was held liable in a civil suit.
1997 - Interleague play began in baseball, ending a 126-year tradition of separating the major leagues until the World Series.
2000 - Steve Young (San Francisco 49ers) retired from the NFL.
After another season in which Chicago's offense was among the worst in the league, general manager Ryan Pace set out to overhaul that side of the ball. Nagy comes to Chicago with previous experience as the offensive coordinator in Kansas City and he will call plays out of the gate. Nagy also brought along a new offensive coordinator in former Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich and added one of the best offensive line coaches in all of football in Harry Hiestand to the mix.
Step 1: Stay creative with play calls
One of the biggest downfalls for Loggains as a play-caller for the Bears was his inability to really surprise the opposition. There were occasions last season where he had Cohen attempting passes out of the shotgun or he ran a creative two-point conversion in Trubisky's first game on Monday Night Football, but he far too often was predictable. There were times last season where Chicago was consistently running the football on first and second downs before being faced with third-and-long on a consistent basis. One major upgrade to Chicago's offense will be how Nagy is able to consistently change things up to keep the defense on its toes.
Step 2: Continue to use Jordan Howard as a workhorse
The moment Nagy was hired there were questions about how Jordan Howard fits into his offense. While in Kansas City he had a back like Kareem Hunt last season who do a little bit of everything with the football in his hands. Howard has proven in his first two years in the league to be a reliable running back between the tackles, but his struggles come when asked to catch the football. Even if the belief is Howard cannot be effective in the passing game, he can be very effective in the running game. Howard rushed for a Bears rookie record of 1,313 yards with six touchdowns in 2016 before rushing for 1,122 yards with nine touchdowns last year. No player in team history has rushed for more yards in his first two years in the league than Howard and Nagy
Step 3: Take advantage of Mitch Trubisky's athleticism
Trubisky is an athlete at the quarterback position. He is not the type of signal-caller who will run all over an opposing defense like Michael Vick did during the peak of his NFL career, but Trubisky has the right tools to be effective with the football in his hands when asked to tuck and run. Trubisky ran the ball a total of 41 times last season for 248 yards with two rushing touchdowns. In his time at North
Step 4: Take advantage of Trey Burton in the middle
Trey Burton was among some of Chicago's biggest signings this offseason. He was used sporadically during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles but fits the mold of what a tight end should be in this system. Burton is set to be the team's "U" tight end, meaning he will more often than not he will be split-out, away from the offensive line. What the Bears will then be able to do is take advantage of his size (6'3", 235 pounds) primarily in the middle of the field. Burton has caught 63 passes for 629 yards with six touchdowns in his career and has done the majority of his damage by finding a soft spot in coverage in the middle of the field. Expect to see Nagy and Trubisky lean heavily on him in the passing game this season.
Step 5: Get Allen Robinson involved early
Allen Robinson was the prize of free agency for the Bears this offseason. The former Pro Bowl wideout has all the tools to thrive in Chicago's system. What will be important over the course of training camp and the preseason is getting him involved early. With Robinson coming off an ACL injury he suffered in Week 1 last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he has been unable to do a lot of work during the offseason program. He did finally get an opportunity to do some work in individual drills, but at this point his connection with Trubisky is unknown. He is the most well-rounded wide receiver on Chicago's roster and will have to get involved early in the passing game in order for him and Trubisky to form that necessary bond.
Step 6: Throw it deep
To play off the first step of being more creative, Chicago needs to allow Trubisky to throw the football deep. According to PlayerProfiler.com, Trubisky registered just 30 deep-ball attempts (passes that go 20 yards or more through the air) last season in his total of 330 attempts. He ranked 32nd in the entire NFL with those numbers. Chicago was apprehensive to allow him to throw the ball deep last year. With new weapons available who can stretch the field with their speed, it would make a lot of sense for the Bears to allow him to try to push the ball through the air. Chicago does not need to have him attempt 10-plus deep balls a game but it would make sense to allow him to do it much more than he did a year ago in order to keep defenses honest.
Step 7: Switch it up at the "Zebra" position
One of the most exciting positions in Chicago's new system is called the "Zebra." That spot, which is essentially the slot wideout spot, will feature a lot of varying looks this season. The two players who will receive a lot of looks out of that spot are expected to be Tarik Cohen and Taylor Gabriel. Cohen caught 53 passes for 353 yards last season with one receiving touchdown, while Gabriel caught 33 passes for 378 yards with one touchdown. Both have dynamic speed and are perfect fits in this system because of their burst and impressive vision. Rookie second-round pick Anthony Miller should also have an opportunity to get some chances to play at the Zebra spot as well this year.
Step 8: Reintroduce the screen game
The Bears have seen the screen game be successful in the past but got away from it at times last season. This year Nagy must integrate it into his scheme. Howard still can be a liability in that regard, but Cohen and fellow running back Benny Cunningham proved last year they can make plays with proper blocking in front of them. Another area that could be utilized in the screen game is both Gabriel and Miller. The two have tremendous vision and are dangerous when they get the football in their hands.
Step 9: Make Adam Shaheen a red-zone option
The Bears have their every-down tight end in Burton and a blocking tight end in Dion Sims. In Adam
Step 10: Play to the strengths of the offensive line
Chicago's offensive line should be better this year if Kyle Long can remain healthy. Gone is former Pro Bowler Josh Sitton, but Chicago feels good about second-round pick James Daniels eventually taking over that spot. Nagy must take a look at what are the strengths of the offensive line and
On this Date in Sports History: Today is Tuesday, 06/12/2018.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1839 - Abner Doubleday created the game of baseball, according to the legend. However, evidence has surfaced that indicates that the game of baseball was played before 1800.
1939 - The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was dedicated in Cooperstown, New York.
1948 - Ben Hogan won his first U.S. Open golf classic.
1967 - The Senators beat Chicago, 6-5, in 22 innings. The game lasted six hours, 38 minutes and ended at 2:43 a.m. and caused the league to adopt a curfew stating that no inning may start after 1:00 a.m.
1981 - Major league baseball players began a 49 day strike. The issue was free-agent compensation.
1985 - Wayne "The Great One" Gretzky was named winner of the NHL's Hart Trophy. The award is given to the league Most Valuable Player.
1991 - The Chicago Bulls won their first NBA championship. The Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one.
1994 - Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were murdered outside her home in Los Angeles. O.J. Simpson was later acquitted of the killings, but he was held liable in a civil suit.
1997 - Interleague play began in baseball, ending a 126-year tradition of separating the major leagues until the World Series.
2000 - Steve Young (San Francisco 49ers) retired from the NFL.
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