The Run and What It Means to Bears

[soulman]

The Run and What It Means to Bears

Originally posted on FanNation Bear Digest
By Gene Chamberlain  |  Last updated 9/4/21

Bears coach Matt Nagy says he wants to run the football and is committed to the run.

No, really.

The inability to commit to running often been the sharp point of criticism for Nagy. Far too often that criticism was valid.

The Bears went through a stretch of seven games last year when they averaged less than 53 yards rushing a game, and not all of it was because their offensive line had issues blocking. 

With David Montgomery gaining 1,070 yards last year and proving to be one of the league's best backs at either avoiding or breaking tackles, Nagy should know better this year than to avoid becoming a predictable pass-happy team. 

"The commitment is for David, right, again within the flow of the game," Nagy said. "We understand that David for us, and every offense, like, when you can get that run game going it opens up the play-action, it opens up the screens, it protects the linemen from dropping back 50 times a game. 

"So our goal is to be able to get him going. How we do it that will be to be seen. But we by no means feel like we have to go into this thing throwing a million times or anything like that. We know how important he is to us and our running game in general."

Again, the run-around with the running game from Nagy. He simply couldn't answer yes, they will be running it more. In Chicago, it's what people want to hear and not just the Ditka-phile meatball sect of Bears fans.

Why it's important for Bears to run

The running game is important. With Andy Dalton at quarterback it's even more critical because he's more of a sitting duck for pass rushers if he's dropping back 50 times a game.

Instead, Nagy dances around and talks about the flow of the game and how he's going to set up screens and play-action passing. 

The running game does more than set up passes. The running game binds together the offense. It is an entity unto itself, but complements the passing game. 

It also allows an offensive line to beat up on the defensive front so later in games it's easier to break big gains and put teams away in a time-consuming four-minute offense. 

The Bears have not had a dependable four-minute offense since the Lovie Smith era when Thomas Jones was breaking off runs. Marc Trestman wanted to run as much as Nagy does. John Fox's teams had no offense, let alone one capable of running when they needed it.

Nagy still seems like the Arena League quarterback he was, always looking for the big gainer and never seeing how to set up a win with the run. This is apparent even when he talks about the running backs and running game.

"You know, I think our running backs have done a great job in training camp," Nagy said. "They understand where we're at and now. It's just a matter of us schematically figuring out what's the best way to be able to get, I think, like chunk runs. 

"Stay away from those 1- to 2-yard runs and get more of those 4- to 5- to 6-yard runs and then pop a few, too."

With the offensive line the Bears currently have, getting those 1- and 2-yard runs might be a luxury. However, those gains are necessary early in games. 

Much-maligned former Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop used to say those short gains early become longer gains later, and he was right. It was one of the few things he was right about, but he was correct.

Teams run it hoping to break runs but patience is required. Nagy needs to be patient with the running game and should have learned this last year. They seemed to during their run to the playoffs, but Bill Lazor called plays then. Nagy is doing it now.

Best teams run the football

Nagy has a good relationship with Montgomery and the cameras/microphones the Bears put out on the practice field for the sake of shooting website video have several times caught funny exchanges between the two. He's not about to let Montgomery down and forget him in the offense, right?

"I mean, you guys have heard me say it, I'm very close with him," he told reporters. "We talk all the time, not just when we're here in the building but outside of the building, and he knows the trust I have in him and I know the trust he has in me. 

"Now it's just a matter of us doing it together."

This might be true, but Nagy's attitude toward running the ball was better reflected in another interview he did. Of all places, it was during a "Hangin' with the Hurt," episode, an interview he did with former White Sox great Frank Thomas for a program they frequently show on Comcast during rain delays. 

Nagy was asked about the running game and his answer was about how in Kansas City "they always talk about the extension of the run game as the quick passing," within the West Coast offense. 

This is where sirens or buzzers should go off. 

Wrong answer.

It can have an effect like this, but it's often when the offense clicks on all cylinders. The quick passing game, in and of itself, does not beat up the interior of a defensive line. It might get the inside linebackers winded. It's not going to physically beat up anyone consistently except a cornerback or a safety.

The Baltimore Ravens don't throw the short passing game to beat people up. Neither did the good rushing teams Pittsburgh had. They beat people up, period. Good running games beat up the opposition.

Last year eight of the top 12 rushing teams made the playoffs. In 2019 eight of the top 10 rushing teams made the playoffs. In 2018 eight of the top 10 rushing teams made the playoffs. It's easy to go on because it's the same every year.

The Green Bay Packers know how to use the running game very well.

Bears aren't the Chiefs yet

One of the exceptions to this is Nagy's old team, the Kansas City Chiefs. A team can avoid depending on the run more when they have a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes and receivers who are a threat to score on every play, but the Bears have proven to have none of these. They think Justin Fields can make the difference, but no one knows yet and there still is no Tyreek Hill on the receiver corps.

And even in Kansas City, the running game matters. The Chiefs have at least ranked in the middle of the pack at rushing while they were throwing it all over the place.

Nagy said something else very telling in that episode of the Big Hurt's interview show. He said people in Chicago are always "joking" that they need to run the ball. 

No one was joking. Running is serious.

It's not funny when a team averages 52.7 yards on the ground for seven weeks without gaining more than 96 yards in any of those games. 

 

This article first appeared on Bear Digest and was syndicated with permission

[soulman]

Here's a lengthy and well thought out interpretation of what running the football means to Matt Nagy.....LOLOL.  He's spot on too.

Notice how Nagy ALWAYS thinks and talks about things schematically instead of just going out and knocking the other guys on their ***** as if somehow his own offensive genius can will his team to victory.  He talks about "game flow" when his offense seldom shows it has any whatsoever.  Most games they come out flat as a pancake with multiple 3 and outs and stay that way.

The exception was when run game maestro and OC Bill Lazor was calling plays.  Look at Monty's stats under Nagy's play calling vs Lazor's and that's all you need to see.  For Nagy runs are simply a way to set up passes not a way to control large stretches of clock time and are an end unto themselves.  Matt.....this is Chicago.  We run before we pass.  Now begone with you.

Edited September 6, 2021 by soulman

[Heinz D.]

12 hours ago, soulman said:

Bears coach Matt Nagy says he wants to run the football and is committed to the run.

Well, sure. He's not an idiot, you know. 

[soulman]

13 hours ago, soulman said:

Nagy said something else very telling in that episode of the Big Hurt's interview show. He said people in Chicago are always "joking" that they need to run the ball. 

No one was joking. Running is serious.

This is the Chicago Bears of Bronco Nagurski, Hugh Gallarneau, George McAfee, Willie Galimore, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, Neal Anderson, Matt Forte and hopefully David Montgomery.  Lovie wasn't kidding when he said "we get off the bus running".  We have multiple HOF RBs but just one HOF QB.

He really doesn't get this part. 

Even Green Bay who is as well known for their HOF QBs, WRs, and passing game as the Bears are for running the football has a more effective ground game than we do now.  We are not a WCO kinda team.  Why?  Because it's Chicago Matt not LA or KC!  We run the football here.

It was believed to be Darrell Royal the legendary U of Texas coach who said; "Three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad."  So if the odds of success are against you 2 against 1 wouldn't it be smarter to pass less and let your OL and RB do the heavy lifting?

I want to see 30 or more runs per game not 50 passes because then I know we're likely to be winning while forcing the other guys to pass and lower their odds of success.  We've spent a fortune on our DL and Edge guys so tell me what sense it makes to let the other guys build up a big lead then force us to pass in order to catch up especially when in the past our QBs and receiving core was poor to mediocre at best?

I'll hold final judgment until this season is over but I don't think Matt Nagy is the right HC for any Chicago Bears team.

Edited September 6, 2021 by soulman

[soulman]

I can only add that with a team who can bring pressure like LA having an efficient run game will be even more important if Nagy expects to get any use at all out of his speed at WR.  If the offense can't get LA to respect the run Dalton will never have time to press them downfield.

Nagy has had the same story to tell all preseason.  Dalton's lack of success has been tied to having to play without his best weapons.  Now we'll find out just how accurate an assessment that was and how much of it is still all in Nagy's imagination and it won't take long.  One quarter should do it.

[Epyon]

I won't defend Nagy here, but I will throw Pace under the bus with him... It's hard to commit to the run when your line sucks.... We haven't had offensive tackles who belong on the field until MAYBE this year... And that's 40% of the line right there. I'd add our interior hasn't been stout since we had healthy long and Slauson. Mustipher isn't good. He's a stop gap backup level player. Not attempting to replace him is a huge blunder this offseason. 

Daniels and whitehair are kind of a mixed bag. Personally I think both are overrated. 

The stat from preseason really encapsulates the OL for me, in that our RBs where getting 1st contact on average 2 yards in the backfield during preseason. You just can't run the ball when the run blocking is that embarrassingly bad. 

[Heinz D.]

8 hours ago, soulman said:

He really doesn't get this part. 

Really, he doesn't have to. 

What do I mean by that? It doesn't matter if your franchise has a history of great running backs...or not. You still have to run the ball. How many great running backs have the Packers had? Not many. Yet, they still commit to the run, and spend enough time and resources every year that they have (at worst) a decent running game. And that allows their offense, as a whole, to function. 

Peppering in runs sporadically, from about three different plays, in between throws 15-20 yards down the field isn't a real attempt at a running game. Hell, it isn't even a real attempt at an offense. 

[soulman]

6 hours ago, Heinz D. said:

Really, he doesn't have to. 

What do I mean by that? It doesn't matter if your franchise has a history of great running backs...or not. You still have to run the ball. How many great running backs have the Packers had? Not many. Yet, they still commit to the run, and spend enough time and resources every year that they have (at worst) a decent running game. And that allows their offense, as a whole, to function. 

Peppering in runs sporadically, from about three different plays, in between throws 15-20 yards down the field isn't a real attempt at a running game. Hell, it isn't even a real attempt at an offense. 

What I meant by that sentence is he doesn't get that fact that Bears fans aren't joking at all just as Chamberlain wrote.

This is a trait often found in arrogant but insecure individuals.  They tend to turn any serious request that goes against their own thinking into a joke pretending like you don't really mean what you said.  You were joking, right?  They may even laugh it off rather than to have any willingness to discuss or debate it which is precisely what Nagy did in a live episode of an interview by insisting people are joking when they're not.

That's how he handles uncomfortable criticism while others may attack the interviewer like "he who must not be named".  Both are a sign of insecurity and a lack of willingness to honestly address the complaint.  In either case the one whose questioning or criticizing is having his concern abruptly dismissed as not being worthy of responding to.  It's a "who are you to question me" kinda move.

My theory on it pretty simple.  Nagy prefers to pass the football.  Being a former QB and an Arena QB at that which is nearly all about passing that should come as no surprise.  Since he's not all that interested in the run game he's also not interested in how to make his any better which is why he brought in Lazor and Castillo to do that for him.  But even if they have improved it will he still avoid using it?

Here's what I see as a fan when looking at it through the eyes of a GM or an owner.  We've spent a lot of money giving Matt Nagy the staff he's asked for including hiring assistants like Brad Childress and Mike Pettine who are very experienced former coordinators and head coaches. We hear a lot of talk about collaboration but when all is said and done Nagy still does what Matt Nagy wants to do.

He makes the final decisions and he calls the plays but when something isn't working he has a habit of referring to his coaching staff as far as the need to fix it.  Nagy can't be a head coach simply because he doesn't know enough about all of the elements needed to be assembled to create a winning team and therefore he can't coach his entire team.  In fact he doesn't even seem to want to.  Not if it's gonna interfere with his remaining the "Mad Professor" of clever schemes and game plans and calling plays on game day.  IMHO he's peaked at mediocre.

[abstract_thought]

18 hours ago, soulman said:

This is the Chicago Bears of Bronco Nagurski, Hugh Gallarneau, George McAfee, Willie Galimore, Gale Sayers, Walter Payton, Neal Anderson, Matt Forte and hopefully David Montgomery.  Lovie wasn't kidding when he said "we get off the bus running".  We have multiple HOF RBs but just one HOF QB.

He really doesn't get this part. 

Even Green Bay who is as well known for their HOF QBs, WRs, and passing game as the Bears are for running the football has a more effective ground game than we do now.  We are not a WCO kinda team.  Why?  Because it's Chicago Matt not LA or KC!  We run the football here.

It was believed to be Darrell Royal the legendary U of Texas coach who said; "Three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad."  So if the odds of success are against you 2 against 1 wouldn't it be smarter to pass less and let your OL and RB do the heavy lifting?

I want to see 30 or more runs per game not 50 passes because then I know we're likely to be winning while forcing the other guys to pass and lower their odds of success.  We've spent a fortune on our DL and Edge guys so tell me what sense it makes to let the other guys build up a big lead then force us to pass in order to catch up especially when in the past our QBs and receiving core was poor to mediocre at best?

I'll hold final judgment until this season is over but I don't think Matt Nagy is the right HC for any Chicago Bears team.

I'm going to risk controversy here and say the Bears community has gone too far in the opposite direction on this issue.

Bears need to find a coach and GM who can build a balanced, principled offense. They don't need a regressive ideology that moves in the opposite direction of the league. Nobody should look to Lovie Smith's teams as the blueprint for building a successful offense. And just because Bears history did one thing or because a coach 40 years ago talked about running the ball, it doesn't mean the Bears should adopt a run-heavy approach when building their own offense.

Failing to establish a successful running game is just one part of this regime's inability to build a successful offense. If you look around the league, there are different ways to do this. Some coaches run to set up the passing game. Some pass to open up the run. But those stylistic differences are far less important than doing things effectively. We can agree that Nagy isn't the right coach for the Bears. But it's not because he wants to throw the ball. It's because he can't throw the ball (or do much of anything) effectively.

[dll2000]

1)  You can't run the ball if you can't effectively pass the ball.   Running in NFL is a numbers game.   If you don't have a hat on a hat you aren't going anywhere especially in FB-less era.  You can't run the ball if they have 2 more defenders than you have blockers within 6 yards of LOS.    

2) You can't run the ball if you aren't effectively gaining yardage and moving sticks.   Anytime you run for 2 yards or less your other two downs are almost always going to be passes in NFL.  It is just the way it is.

3) Running football also requires 1) physicality, 2) commitment to practicing physicality, 3) personnel for physicality, 4) proper technique for physicality, 4) a complimentary set of plays (runs and passes that look similar) and 5) a QB who has ability/knowledge to check to runs at LOS at proper times and snap football before D re-adjusts.

Bears have failed at all 3 in Nagy/Pace era.

Honestly a short effective passing game can substitute for a physical run game.   A number of teams have shown that through the years.   Bears haven't been able to do that either.

  Ideally you would like to be able to bash ahead for 4 yards when you need to.   Controlling middle of field is key in football.   You can't just play on edges.  

 

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by dll2000
typo

[Bfan]

37 minutes ago, abstract_thought said:

I'm going to risk controversy here and say the Bears community has gone too far in the opposite direction on this issue.

Bears need to find a coach and GM who can build a balanced, principled offense. They don't need a regressive ideology that moves in the opposite direction of the league. Nobody should look to Lovie Smith's teams as the blueprint for building a successful offense. And just because Bears history did one thing or because a coach 40 years ago talked about running the ball, it doesn't mean the Bears should adopt a run-heavy approach when building their own offense.

Failing to establish a successful running game is just one part of this regime's inability to build a successful offense. If you look around the league, there are different ways to do this. Some coaches run to set up the passing game. Some pass to open up the run. But those stylistic differences are far less important than doing things effectively. We can agree that Nagy isn't the right coach for the Bears. But it's not because he wants to throw the ball. It's because he can't throw the ball (or do much of anything) effectively.

Well said.  In the years leading up to `85 my dad often claimed the Bears only had 4 plays. Paton to the right, Paton to the left,Paton up the middle, punt. It wasn`t until Ditka and the staff he brought in showed up and the new talent was  brought in by Vanici that the Bears developed a more balance offense.  Even then Ditka may have influenced the offense but it was Ryan who ran the defense which probably helps explain why there were no more titles after Ryan departed in `86

[soulman]

15 hours ago, abstract_thought said:

I'm going to risk controversy here and say the Bears community has gone too far in the opposite direction on this issue.

It was not my intention to suggest we regress to playing 3 yards and a cloud of dust football or that Lovie's offenses were a model of efficiency.  I only referred to his well worn phrase of getting off the bus running because this is a good part of what Bears fans have been used to seeing throughout Bears history.

But we also passed enough to keep a balanced approach especially with RBs like Matt Forte most recently and most other top backs in the past and we need to return to that.  Under Nagy we've been sliding farther and farther away from it which makes me wonder if the run blocking has worsened due to lack to talent or simply because Nagy can't scheme a run based offense if his life depended on it or if he even wants to.

So I'm not suggesting the offense become "run heavy" but rather pull back from being so "pass heavy".  Nagy is wearing his defense down game after game by failing to control the clock as well as he should putting points on the board early then depend on a RB like Montgomery to sustain longer time killing drives.  Instead of making it easier on his defense he typically makes it harder and still expects them to save his bacon.

But let's not miss the point I was making and that the author was making as well.  Matt Nagy believes Bears fans are joking when they say they want to see more running.  Successful running.  It's not a joke.  Either Matt Nagy doesn't get that or he doesn't want to get it.  That's the point.

Edited September 8, 2021 by soulman

[soulman]

4 hours ago, dll2000 said:

1)  You can't run the ball if you can't effectively pass the ball.   Running in NFL is a numbers game.   If you don't have a hat on a hat you aren't going anywhere especially in FB-less era.  You can't run the ball if they have 2 more defenders than you have blockers within 6 yards of LOS.    

2) You can't run the ball if you aren't effectively gaining yardage and moving sticks.   Anytime you run for 2 yards or less your other two downs are almost always going to be passes in NFL.  It is just the way it is.

3) Running football also requires 1) physicality, 2) commitment to practicing physicality, 3) personnel for physicality, 4) proper technique for physicality, 4) a complimentary set of plays (runs and passes that look similar) and 5) a QB who has ability/knowledge to check to runs at LOS at proper times and snap football before D re-adjusts.

Bears have failed at all 3 in Nagy/Pace era.

Honestly a short effective passing game can substitute for a physical run game.   A number of teams have shown that through the years.   Bears haven't been able to do that either.

  Ideally you would like to be able to bash ahead for 4 yards when you need to.   Controlling middle of field is key in football.   You can't just play on edges.  

 

 

I'm not gonna wholesale disagree with you but I'm not getting on any "you can't run if you can't pass" merry-go-round the flip side of which is "you can't pass if you can't run".  In reality you have to do both well which is why GB schools us with it so often.

IMHO any decent running game should be able to stand on it's own provided you have the talent and blocking scheme to make it work.  I don't see any severe lack of talent at RB and while we could use some help up front there have been games where the run blocking as been very good.  My question is why isn't it always very good?

I agree that an effective short passing game can sub for a run game at times but WCO style football is never been what the Bears have been about and to be honest I think we'd be foolish to even try it playing exclusively in the climate we do on a natural turf field that can seldom survive an entire season. At the very least this offense needs to be able to grind out wins on the ground when it becomes necessary to do so.

As far as I'm concerned Nagy can get a little more pass happy once he's proven to all that he can run a ground and pound offensive game when he needs to.  So far he hasn't been able to do that OR have success with a WCO type scheme just as you posted.  IMHO this should be the very last season he gets to show that he can put a productive offense on the field that can win both running and passing the football.

[dll2000]

20 minutes ago, soulman said:

I'm not gonna wholesale disagree with you but I'm not getting on any "you can't run if you can't pass" merry-go-round the flip side of which is "you can't pass if you can't run".  In reality you have to do both well which is why GB schools us with it so often.

IMHO any decent running game should be able to stand on it's own provided you have the talent and blocking scheme to make it work.  I don't see any severe lack of talent at RB and while we could use some help up front there have been games where the run blocking as been very good.  My question is why isn't it always very good?

I agree that an effective short passing game can sub for a run game at times but WCO style football is never been what the Bears have been about and to be honest I think we'd be foolish to even try it playing exclusively in the climate we do on a natural turf field that can seldom survive an entire season. At the very least this offense needs to be able to grind out wins on the ground when it becomes necessary to do so.

As far as I'm concerned Nagy can get a little more pass happy once he's proven to all that he can run a ground and pound offensive game when he needs to.  So far he hasn't been able to do that OR have success with a WCO type scheme just as you posted.  IMHO this should be the very last season he gets to show that he can put a productive offense on the field that can win both running and passing the football.

Well analysts say you can pass and run play action without an effective run game.  

CW is you need an effective run game to set up pass, but data seems to say otherwise.  

It makes sense, most defenders read run to pass in their keys. 

I just know in order to run you can’t just slam into heavy boxes.  You just don’t have enough hats to block all the guys.  

If you drop 7 or 8 into coverage it isn’t same thing.  A receiver can still make a contested catch.  

It is much easier to do than juking an unblocked LB or safety coming up hard without a lot of space.
 

 

[Heinz D.]

15 hours ago, soulman said:

My theory on it pretty simple.  Nagy prefers to pass the football.  Being a former QB and an Arena QB at that which is nearly all about passing that should come as no surprise.  

Since Nagy's now pretending to be an NFL coach...well, it IS sort of a surprise, to be honest. You'd think maybe he'd, like, study the game...**** like that...

7 hours ago, dll2000 said:

Honestly a short effective passing game can substitute for a physical run game.   A number of teams have shown that through the years.   Bears haven't been able to do that either.

They haven't tried. If they had--with Robinson and Montgomery? (Maybe Cohen to boot?) 

Don't know what else I gotta say...