With 1:02 left in the third quarter of the Bears’ Monday night game against the Vikings, Chicago tried to convert from the Minnesota 21-yard line. Chicago was down 17-3, so any score would have helped. Running back David Montgomery, who had gained one yard on the previous play, ran to the sideline because of an issue with his helmet. So, with receiver Darnell Mooney in the backfield, and obvious confusion in the huddle, the Bears tried to extend their drive.
Things did not go as they’d hoped. Quarterback Justin Fields ran a play-action fake to nobody, because Mooney had already run to the flat when Fields was ready. Running back Khalil Herbert was not in the backfield for whatever reason; he ran a crossing route from left to right as tight end Cole Kmet headed up the numbers to the end zone. Fields rolled to his right, didn’t see Mooney in the flat when he was open, and by the time Kmet was open in the end zone, Fields had been sacked by Vikings defensive lineman D.J. Wonnum.
The play was a disaster from start to finish.
D.J. Wonnum sacks Justin Fields on 4th and 1 #Skol #DaBears pic.twitter.com/CYokxPtIuG
— Pro Football Culture (@proftblculture) December 21, 2021
“Yeah, that’s a play design we’ve had in all year long, and I’ve got to see it on tape,” head coach Matt Nagy said after the game. “It was on the opposite sideline. But they obviously covered it, so it was just — give credit to the defense.”
Wait. That was a designed play? You guys did that on purpose?
Alrighty then.
Fields was more detailed when asked about it.
“The play was for Mooney, but they were in Cover-2, [the] corner sat on it and he didn’t move. But yeah. I mean, I had an opportunity to go low-high-low, but of course at the perfect time when Mooney was open I wasn’t looking, I was looking for the over [Herbert] coming around. But yeah, they just called up a great defense for that play.”
Fields also said that Mooney was supposed to be the first read.
“The corner was there, Cover-2. So in Cover-2, the corner has the flat defender. He’s responsible for the flat. Darnell was running for the flat, so he sees Darnell running right there. Took my eyes to the corner, took my eyes to the over route, and when I took my eyes to the corner and the over route, the corner backed off a little bit. Then when I got back to Mooney, the corner came back. Again, like if I know that next time, if I see Cover-2, I’ll rip and just, boom, go low-high-low, right down, get the corner to move back and hit Mooney in the flat. It’s just an instance where you learn.”
As has been the case all season, Fields is a young quarterback who is learning how to adapt to NFL coverages. And as has been the case all season, he is getting absolutely no help from his head coach and alleged offensive play-designer when it comes to the passing game.
The Monday Night Football crew insisted that Nagy should have taken a time out to reconsider his options after Montgomery ran off the field. That’s how much this looked like a busted play from the start. For Nagy to say that this was the design of the thing is yet another reason he should not be the Bears’ head coach, or alleged offensive play-designer, for one more day.