Bears / NFL Thread 2018-2019

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#676      
So after much reflection, here are my thoughts on this Bears season:

While the loss to the Eagles is obviously a bit disappointing, the season this team had was nothing short of amazing for Bears fans. For a team like this to go 12-4 when most, including myself, probably had them as a 9-7 or 10-6 team even after the trade for Khalil Mack, speaks to how great of a coaching job it was by Nagy and the Bears coaching staff. One of the first things that Nagy and his staff wanted to do was change the culture inside the locker room and it appears that they have not only done that but quite a good job of it. While the playcalling of Nagy was certainly called in question multiple times this season, I feel a lot better about where this team stands on the offensive side of the ball than I have in years. The team still has a young elite defense and an offense that is still improving and can improve more and it would not surprise me to not only see Trubisky but also the running game take a jump in year 2 under Nagy's system.

The Bears do have a lot of key free agents coming up this offseason with guys like Bobby Massie, Aaron Lynch, Bryce Callahan and Adrian Amos out there as unrestricted free agents so it will be interesting to see who they decide to bring back and who they decide to let go. While it would obviously be disappointing to see a guy like Callahan leave given how good a season he had as a slot corner, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a big pay day from another club.

Now next season is not going to be easy, playing a first place schedule which will include games against the AFC West and NFC East along with a road game at the Rams and a home game vs. the Saints. It would not surprise me in the least to see this team be better next year but have a worse record given how tough the schedule will be.
 
#681      

South Farms

near Ogden & Rt 83
proves I know nothing
I thought Denver was just going thru the motions with Vic and would hire the 35 year old flavor of the day.
Happy for Vic, sad for us. But Im confident that with the people we have , the D can still be excellent. Its not the x's and the o's, its the Jimmys and the Joes
 
#682      
As I posted above, the bright side of losing Fangio is that the Bears will have the pick of the litter of this offseason’s DC hires.

I don’t think there’s any question that Bowles is that guy.

If there’s a minus to hiring Bowles, it’s that the NFL doesn’t seem to treat failing as the head coach of the Jets as any sort of demerit when considering hiring a Head Coach. It seems to be taken as a given. If the Bears D is good again next year, we’ll be doing this again in 12 months or so.
 
#683      

illiniCA

DC Area
As I posted above, the bright side of losing Fangio is that the Bears will have the pick of the litter of this offseason’s DC hires.

I don’t think there’s any question that Bowles is that guy.

If there’s a minus to hiring Bowles, it’s that the NFL doesn’t seem to treat failing as the head coach of the Jets as any sort of demerit when considering hiring a Head Coach. It seems to be taken as a given. If the Bears D is good again next year, we’ll be doing this again in 12 months or so.

I mean if you can go 3-6 with Mahomes in the BIG 12 and get an NFL head coaching job is there any real logic to hiring?
 
#684      
I mean if you can go 3-6 with Mahomes in the BIG 12 and get an NFL head coaching job is there any real logic to hiring?

Just look at the string of Jets head coaches that were hired as someone else’s HC almost immediately after being fired... Ryan, Mangini, Herm Edwards, Pete Carroll (USC instead of NFL), Coslet. That list doesn’t include Parcells who “retired” before going to the Cowboys and Dolphins, or Belichick who quit before ever coaching a game. (How’d that work out for Belichick? Think he loses any sleep over that decision?)
 
#685      

FlyNavy

Los Angeles
Bowles headed to the Bucs per Sun Times.
 
#688      

FlyNavy

Los Angeles
I know he worked with Ariens before, maybe he felt like he couldn't show improvement with the Bears? Or, maybe he likes warmer weather.

Hard to say, but it's all about timing in the end. If Arians stayed in retirement, Bowles would've probably jumped at the Bears opportunity. Keep in mind Bowles also played for Arians at Temple, so they have plenty of history.

As it stands, the Bears DC job is probably the most appealing in the NFL - complete autonomy to coach the top D in the league led by 4 pro-bowlers. Between Pace and Nagy, I feel pretty confident they'll hire the right guy.

Oh, and Gregg Williams just got released after going 5-3 for the Browns, which is a heck of an achievement given that they're, uh, the Browns. He should be able to get a head coaching gig (Dolphins?), but if not he'll probably be looking for a DC job...
 
#689      
I know he worked with Ariens before, maybe he felt like he couldn't show improvement with the Bears? Or, maybe he likes warmer weather.

He’d probably already told Arians he’d take the job and didn’t want to back out in a friend.

Oh, and Gregg Williams just got released after going 5-3 for the Browns, which is a heck of an achievement given that they're, uh, the Browns. He should be able to get a head coaching gig (Dolphins?), but if not he'll probably be looking for a DC job...

There’s certainly a Saints connection with Pace. Don’t know if that would make Pace more or less likely to hire him considering how Williams’ tenure in New Orleans ended.
 
#690      
Losing VF is not good, but it was a predictable problem. I'll trust the leadership to already have a short list of replacements and to actively get their guy when the time is right. Whether they are letting Donatell decide if he wants to stay in Chicago or follow VF to Denver, or waiting for their guy to end his season, a little pause is not worrisome.
 
#691      

FlyNavy

Los Angeles
There’s certainly a Saints connection with Pace. Don’t know if that would make Pace more or less likely to hire him considering how Williams’ tenure in New Orleans ended.

I forgot about Pace-Williams and the whole Saints thing, that would be awkward for sure. Another question is whether the Bears would be open to going back to 4-3. Williams is a 4-3 guy, but the Bears seem to be fully entrenched as a 3-4 team w/ Mack and Floyd. It'll be interesting to see where they go, but I'm sure they'll make a good choice here.
 
#692      
Steve Wilks might be a guy. He was D-Backs coach under Lovie. Only one year as DC in Carolina in 2017, but their D was significantly better then than either the previous or subsequent year. Just one year as HC for the Cardinals before being canned. Many around the League think his firing was unjustified. Defense wasn’t great in AZ, but did he have anything to work with?
 
#696      

FlyNavy

Los Angeles
Good hire.

Agreed. I think the autonomy Nagy gives his DCs is a great sell to the more experienced coaches, and Pagano fits the team culture really well. Only downside is if he's successful, he'll probably jump to another head coach job next year - a good problem to have!
 
#697      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
Agreed. I think the autonomy Nagy gives his DCs is a great sell to the more experienced coaches, and Pagano fits the team culture really well. Only downside is if he's successful, he'll probably jump to another head coach job next year - a good problem to have!
Yep, as long as the Bears are successful their assistants will be poached by other teams.
 
#698      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Thought Pagano was a good hire. After reading Dan Pompei's article about him in The Athletic (paywall), I'm elevating that to excellent hire.
 
#699      
Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace had their end of season press conference today at Halas Hall:


A lot to take out of this. Some of my initial takeaways:
-They haven't closed the door on Kareem Hunt as a possibility.
-Nagy wasn't thrilled about Parkey appearing on the Today Show.
-There will be an open competition at kicker heading into next season.
 
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