Matt Nagy gave up play calling again, Bill Lazor took over again

It’s like déjà vu all over again!

In a move that should surprise no one after that dreadful game plan for week 3, and that horrendous day from the Chicago Bears offense against the Browns, head coach Matt Nagy has once again decided to relinquish play calling responsibilities to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.

Nagy refused to clarify things all week leading up to today’s game against the Detroit Lions, a game the Bears won 24-13, but in his post game press conference he finally circled around to admitting it.

“In regards to the play calling, Bill (Lazor) did a great job,” Nagy said.

Nagy was evasive when the question first came up in the presser, saying they come up with the game plan as an offensive coaching staff, they collaborate on the calls, and that ultimately the calls all come through him, but he eventually came around to say that Lazor was the primary play caller.

Anyone watching the game saw Nagy not as intently focused on his play sheet, so this was seemingly obvious, but it’s still good to see Lazor get the official shine for the big win.

The Bears scored a season high 24 points and had a season high 373 yards in total offense against the Lions, and while they didn’t have an immaculate game offensively, there was a different flow to the game.

Nagy wasn’t ready to announce who his starting QB will be next week, but with Justin Fields bouncing back and pushing the ball downfield effectively, I think there’s a conversation to be had in keeping him as the QB1 over Andy Dalton once Dalton’s knee is healed.

He also told the media that he would not answer another question this season in regards to who is calling their offensive plays.

Nagy gave up play calling a season ago, and while it took the Lazor led O a few weeks to find it’s footing, there was a noticeably different rhythm to the play calls, and the offense did put up more points and yards.

Here are the games that Lazor called in the 2020 season for the Bears.

• Loss vs the Minnesota Vikings, 13 to 19, 149 total yards
• Loss at the Green Bay Packers, 25 to 41, 350 total yards
• Loss vs the Detroit Lions, 30 to 34, 389 total yards
• Win vs the Houston Texans, 36 to 7, 410 total yards
• Win at the Minnesota Vikings, 33 to 27, 397 total yards
• Win at the Jacksonville Jaguars, 41 to 17, 391 total yards
• Loss vs the Green Bay Packers, 16 to 35, 356 total yards
• Loss at the New Orleans Saints, 9 to 21, 239 total yards

There has been speculation that Nagy took play calling back at some point during the final weeks of the 2020 season, but that has never been concretely reported on.

For those scoring at home, the offense with Lazor as the named play caller in 2020 averaged 335.1 yards per game, while in Nagy’s first 9 games it averaged just 317.8, and in Lazor’s 8 games the Bears averaged 25.4 total points per game to Nagy’s 19.8.

Are you guys excited to see Lazor as the Bears primary play caller moving forward, or do you think it’s just a matter of time before Nagy takes it back again?