Dear Coach Nagy

[Mikefive]

Dear Coach Nagy,

Can we please, PLEASE stop running Jordan Howard horizontally? You said that as a coach, you would mold your scheme to fit the strengths of the players you have. It's time to make good on that statement and let our downhill runner run downhill plays.

Thanks and congrats on being 2-1 so far.

Sincerely,
Mikefive

[Boris13c]

Dear Coach Nagy,

Can we please, PLEASE stop running Jordan Howard horizontally? You said that as a coach, you would mold your scheme to fit the strengths of the players you have. It's time to make good on that statement and let our downhill runner run downhill plays.

Thanks and congrats on being 2-1 so far.

Sincerely,
Mikefive

I second

quick dives and counters in a north/south direction will be much more effective than the odd wide game that has been less than optimally effective

[wab]

They can only run stretch plays to the right because Long is the only lineman that can make it work. Watching Kush try to pull is laughable.

[UOK]

They can only run stretch plays to the right because Long is the only lineman that can make it work. Watching Kush try to pull is laughable.

I didn't realize Kush was buddies with Nagy. Once I heard that during broadcast I figured that was it for any talk about Daniels taking his job this year.

[G08]

They can only run stretch plays to the right because Long is the only lineman that can make it work. Watching Kush try to pull is laughable.

I didn't realize Kush was buddies with Nagy. Once I heard that during broadcast I figured that was it for any talk about Daniels taking his job this year.

Ar?

Please elaboratez.

[UOK]

They can only run stretch plays to the right because Long is the only lineman that can make it work. Watching Kush try to pull is laughable.

I didn't realize Kush was buddies with Nagy. Once I heard that during broadcast I figured that was it for any talk about Daniels taking his job this year.

Ar?

Please elaboratez.

Kush was drafted by the Chiefs during Nagy's first year on Reid's KC staff. Broadcast mentioned that they had a good relationship ever since. I'd have to pull the actual audio to get the full wording but it wasn't like saying they're best of friends or something.

[Mikefive]

Dear Coach Nagy,

Can we please, PLEASE stop running Jordan Howard horizontally? You said that as a coach, you would mold your scheme to fit the strengths of the players you have. It's time to make good on that statement and let our downhill runner run downhill plays.

Thanks and congrats on being 2-1 so far.

Sincerely,
Mikefive

I second

quick dives and counters in a north/south direction will be much more effective than the odd wide game that has been less than optimally effective

Horizontal plays can be fine when you have Tarik Cohen running them.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

Dear Coach Nagy,

Can we please, PLEASE stop running Jordan Howard horizontally? You said that as a coach, you would mold your scheme to fit the strengths of the players you have. It's time to make good on that statement and let our downhill runner run downhill plays.

Thanks and congrats on being 2-1 so far.

Sincerely,
Mikefive

I second

quick dives and counters in a north/south direction will be much more effective than the odd wide game that has been less than optimally effective

Horizontal plays can be fine when you have Tarik Cohen running them.

That's the problem though. If you start doing that, then teams are going to figure out REALLY fast where the run play is going. Howard, up the middle, Cohen around the edge. That's why you need to at least need to try and mix it up. Otherwise you're dead.

[Mikefive]

Dear Coach Nagy,

Can we please, PLEASE stop running Jordan Howard horizontally? You said that as a coach, you would mold your scheme to fit the strengths of the players you have. It's time to make good on that statement and let our downhill runner run downhill plays.

Thanks and congrats on being 2-1 so far.

Sincerely,
Mikefive

I second

quick dives and counters in a north/south direction will be much more effective than the odd wide game that has been less than optimally effective

Horizontal plays can be fine when you have Tarik Cohen running them.

That's the problem though. If you start doing that, then teams are going to figure out REALLY fast where the run play is going. Howard, up the middle, Cohen around the edge. That's why you need to at least need to try and mix it up. Otherwise you're dead.

I don't think anybody suggested that.

[Bad Flanders]

Dear Coach Nagy,

Can we please, PLEASE stop running Jordan Howard horizontally? You said that as a coach, you would mold your scheme to fit the strengths of the players you have. It's time to make good on that statement and let our downhill runner run downhill plays.

Thanks and congrats on being 2-1 so far.

Sincerely,
Mikefive

I second

quick dives and counters in a north/south direction will be much more effective than the odd wide game that has been less than optimally effective

Horizontal plays can be fine when you have Tarik Cohen running them.

That's the problem though. If you start doing that, then teams are going to figure out REALLY fast where the run play is going. Howard, up the middle, Cohen around the edge. That's why you need to at least need to try and mix it up. Otherwise you're dead.

If they are both on the field at the same time, what's the problem? The defense will still have to start in an alignment that respects both middle and the edge. Crap... make it an option and take what they give you!

It doesn't mean they ALWAYS have to be JH up the middle and TC around the edge. They can both run the other way and have had success.

I think the point is to not try to be SO unpredictable that you shoot yourself in your own foot by not putting guys in the right position to succeed over and over again and especially when a drive is really on the line.

[EricTighe]

Do you guys already forget how many plays Howard broke open in running sweeps when Fox was here?

I got a better Idea. Run the Flippin ball a little more, maybe out of some freaky formations you have designed.

We were predictable last year and as my son noticed we are getting predictable again. He was able to call 90 percent of the plays before the ball was snapped. So he is either very impressive or Nagy has gotten predictable.

Just a thought.

[Mikefive]

Do you guys already forget how many plays Howard broke open in running sweeps when Fox was here?

I got a better Idea. Run the Flippin ball a little more, maybe out of some freaky formations you have designed.

We were predictable last year and as my son noticed we are getting predictable again. He was able to call 90 percent of the plays before the ball was snapped. So he is either very impressive or Nagy has gotten predictable.

Just a thought.

And how many of those sweeps last year were horizontal? That would be ZERO.

[EricTighe]

It is starting to look like Mr. Howard may not be with us after this season.

Man, I will miss him. But what the hell if we don't want to use him then let him be a stud somewhere else.

[Knuckles]

Didn't Nagy rotate Kush and Daniels this week? I heard the announcers talk about it but didn't see I need to watch the game again I was pretty drunk by the 3rd quarter LOL. If that's the case then maybe the switch is going to happen soon.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

It is starting to look like Mr. Howard may not be with us after this season.

Man, I will miss him. But what the hell if we don't want to use him then let him be a stud somewhere else.

Don't be too quick to dismiss Howard. TB had a stout run defense up the middle, but they were soft at the corners. Cohen was the perfect weapon to exploit that. When we play the Lions. Expect a HEAVY dose of Jordan Howard, as Detroit has almost zero run defense. This is a new era in Chicago. One where the offensive game plan is crafted around the opposing team's weaknesses. We haven't seen that type of strategic football in Chicago for decades.

[Knuckles]

It is starting to look like Mr. Howard may not be with us after this season.

Man, I will miss him. But what the hell if we don't want to use him then let him be a stud somewhere else.

Don't be too quick to dismiss Howard. TB had a stout run defense up the middle, but they were soft at the corners. Cohen was the perfect weapon to exploit that. When we play the Lions. Expect a HEAVY dose of Jordan Howard, as Detroit has almost zero run defense. This is a new era in Chicago. One where the offensive game plan is crafted around the opposing team's weaknesses. We haven't seen that type of strategic football in Chicago for decades.

Before this season I was hoping the Bears would trade Howard and move up to get Barkley in the draft just because I figured Nagy's offense needed a RB who can catch reliably but now that he's proven he can be a solid receiving threat I highly doubt Nagy would want to lose an asset like Howard.

I agree I think they're trying to keep him fresh until we go up against a bad run D and the cold weather. Howard was the work horse for a few years now it's good that they don't need him to win right now... Let him stay relativly fresh for the real Bear weather. He will get his yards.

[EricTighe]

I hope so. We will see.

[LacertineForest]

Nagy given the highest score for all head coaches this week:

https://www.headcoachranking.com/head-c ... fl-week-4/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I didn't even know there was a head coach rankings site, but I'm not surprised.

He's #4 overall on the year.

[The Marshall Plan]

I'm not concerned about Howard's place on this team. It would've made no sense had the Bears run Howard that game right into Vea. There have been plenty of times in Howard's career that he's been The Man for us and I'm confident he will have more games like that this year. With our offense, opposing teams will only put five in the box maybe six and then you pound them with Howard.

[MrChamploo]

It was just a match up thing as previous have said.

Cohen matched up better with the quickness to the outside.
Howard may be able to catch the ball but Cohen is still a better catching back outta the back field. (And out of the Wide-out spot's ha.)

Howard is no longer the -man- it's a two back system and that is wonderful.

[Pagan]

On the subject of J. Howard & the Bears (mis~perceived) running game in general, a few things come to mind:

#1. (& Possibly most importantly) Don't let the talking heads sway your opinions= They're selling commercial time & NOT news/facts (in general).

#2. Jordan Howard does NOT necessarily need to run the ball more this year!
Last year (2017), after the 1st 4 games J. Howard had only 1 (one) more rushing attempt than he has in 4
games in 2018.
Only 1 attempt difference.
Yes, it DOES "feel" like he's running less, but that's only the perception. The fact is... Jordan Howard has had
just about the same exact # of rushes from last year to this year.
He hasn't been as effective, so far (after only 4 games) his average has drooped from 3.5 ypc to 3.1 ypc so far
after 4 games.

#3 Jordan Howard can't (or finally CAN) catch the damn football!?!"
J. Howard has always been known as a very capable pass catcher... & Yes, he HAS just about caught everything
thrown his way this year... He did NOT have a terrible year with "the dropsies" in 2017.
In 2017, Howard finished the season with a 71.9% catching percentage.
(Better than both T. Hill & E. Elliot.

#4. "Jordan Howard isn't a fit in the Matt Nagy offense & should/will be traded".
I think this is also a false
assumption. It's only been 4 game sample, but so far I've seen a refreshingly intelligent shift on how an offense should be ran... & the ugly truth is that most of us simply are NOT used to seeing a modern NFL offense on this team.
It won't always be "the best player takes the field" on every play/game on Sundays= it's about the best "Match~up".

J. Howard will ABSOLUTELY have his break out games this year & it'll happen when he gives the team the best match up against the defenses we're going against.

Thank the gods (the old & the new) that this team doesnt have to be RB to the left, RB to the right RB up the gut.. Cloud of dust nonsense anymore.

Oh... & Yes, it TOTALLY makes sense to run Howard on those outside edges, at times.
I'm betting there's a very real strategy to it.

[IotaNet]

#1. (& Possibly most importantly) Don't let the talking heads sway your opinions= They're selling commercial time & NOT news/facts (in general).

This. Full stop.

Most of sports media is all about "Hot takes" and controversy. Those are designed to capture clicks and eyeballs, which are monetized -- and all of this is a busine$$.

That's fine but one has to be on the lookout the obvious (or just plain fishy) BS that spews from TV and the Interwebs when making an evaluation on the Bears. Has anyone noticed that all of a sudden, the Bears are becoming "trendy?" Even tho we were a top-ten defense last year?

Imagine what "the narrative" would be if we had won the GB game? I'm glad we DIDN'T but we would be 4-0 GIANT KILLERS right now!!!

Pump the brakes, enjoy the ride, and don't get put all in a tizzy by the talking heads and part-time bloggers.

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

On the subject of J. Howard & the Bears (mis~perceived) running game in general, a few things come to mind:


#4. "Jordan Howard isn't a fit in the Matt Nagy offense & should/will be traded".
I think this is also a false
assumption. It's only been 4 game sample, but so far I've seen a refreshingly intelligent shift on how an offense should be ran... & the ugly truth is that most of us simply are NOT used to seeing a modern NFL offense on this team. It won't always be "the best player takes the field" on every play/game on Sundays= it's about the best "Match~up".

This right here. Martz, Trestman, Loggains ran THEIR offense, come hell or high water. They were calling plays they thought would work against the opposition's defensive tendencies, not against the specific personnel. Every week, Nagy and his staff are looking specifically at the weaknesses of the opposing defenses, and picking plays from the playbook, that SHOULD put the Bears in a position to succeed. Case in point, the strongest part of the TB defense was the front four, but their LB's and secondary was banged up. That's why Nagy used Cohen so much. He's also setting up future games, to play off of strong performances by players like Burton and Cohen. This IS a whole new modern offense, with strategic reasons for calling EVERY play. Not just now, but for games further down the schedule. Tampa Bay is not a terrible team. I think that Nagy had a TREMENDOUS gameplan, and completely exposed their weaknesses.

[Mikefive]

Oh... & Yes, it TOTALLY makes sense to run Howard on those outside edges, at times.
I'm betting there's a very real strategy to it.

The people who keep saying this need to work on reading comprehension. I never disagreed with this statement.

[Pagan]

Oh... & Yes, it TOTALLY makes sense to run Howard on those outside edges, at times.
I'm betting there's a very real strategy to it.

The people who keep saying this need to work on reading comprehension. I never disagreed with this statement.

I'm glad that you agree Mike, this statement wasn't meant to be directed at you personally = I've heard this & a few other complaints about Howard's ability /Nagy play calling from a number of sources.
My comprehension is fine.