Tag: Bears run game

Will Bill Lazor have his fingerprint all over Bears’ run game?

Arguably the biggest failure of the Bears offense last season was the run game. Chicago will be looking to fix it, starting with Bill Lazor.

There’s no doubt that the Bears’ focus for this offseason is fixing the offense that doomed the team in 2019. Not only were they one of the worst offenses in the league, but they had regressed in a season where they were supposed to show a better understanding of Matt Nagy’s offense.

Nagy wasted no time overhauling the offense hiring four new offensive coaches, including offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, offensive line coach Juan Castillo and tight ends coach Clancy Barone.

While we won’t know how these hirings ultimately affect the offense until the new season begins, there’s an excitement surrounding these hirings that bring a wealth of knowledge to a struggling offense with specific needs.

The Bears are bringing in Lazor as their new offensive coordinator, although Nagy will continue to call plays.

Someone that knows Lazor well is quarterback Matt Moore, who was in Miami when Lazor was the Dolphins’ offensive coordinator for two seasons.

“Man, I like Bill,” Moore said, via WGN. “Bill is a high energy guy. He’s going to hold you to the highest standard. He’s creative. He’s going to try to create speed and space just like anybody. When he was here, he had just come from Philly with Chip Kelly. When you talk about all that space with the bubbles and all that stuff, kind of how the game has evolved, and Bill was right on top of it. So we were doing all that stuff. They got a good coach in Bill Lazor, I know that.”

Arguably the biggest failure of the Bears offense last season was the run game, which was one of the worst in the league. Rookie David Montgomery had a decent season, but he wasn’t helped much by play calling or the offensive line.

Matt Nagy has brought in guys that will no doubt have a hand in fixing that aspect of the offense, including Juan Castillo and Lazor.

“(The run game) was big (with Lazor),” Moore said. “I think that was one of the big things that he brought with him from Philly. So I think he’ll have his fingerprint all over it for sure.”

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Wild-card playoffs a reminder of importance of having strong run game

The wild-card playoffs were a stark reminder that Matt Nagy needs to fix the glaring issue that is the Bears’ run game.

After a disappointing 2019 season, the Chicago Bears were forced to watch the first round of the NFL playoffs from home. And there was plenty to learn from the wild-card playoffs — especially for head coach Matt Nagy.

But there was one thing that stood apart from the others. The wild-card playoffs were a stark reminder that Nagy needs to fix the one glaring issue that has plagued him since his arrival in Chicago: The run game.

It’s no secret that having a balanced offensive attack produces results. Just look at the top running teams — Ravens, 49ers, Titans, Seahawks — they all made the postseason.

Here’s what stood out about the wild-card round concerning the running game:

Derrick Henry carried the Titans offense on his back

Perhaps the most obvious example of the power of a strong running game came with the performance of Titans running back Derrick Henry, who single-handedly carried Tennessee’s offense to victory over the Patriots.

Henry carried the ball 34 times for 182 yards and a touchdown, which helped quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who had just 72 passing yards on the night.

An effective run game is a struggling quarterback’s best friend, which was something that Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears offense lacked last season.

Dalvin Cook’s success on the ground opened up the passing game

It’s not a surprise that Vikings running back Dalvin Cook found success on the ground, as he was one of the best backs in the NFL. It’s also no coincidence that quarterback Kirk Cousins had perhaps his best season yet.

Against the Saints, Cook had 28 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns. It was Minnesota’s balanced attack that kept the Saints defense in check and allowed Cousins to open up the passing game.

Devin Singletary found success on the ground when Bills committed to the run

A consistent run game is important to a balanced offense, something Nagy has learned the hard way this season. It’s also something that doomed the Bills in a 22-19 loss to the Texans.

When Devin Singletary carried the ball, he was effective. He had 13 carries for 58 yards, which included some big runs that kept the chains moving.

The Bills had found success in the run game in the first half, which made it confusing as to why they abandoned it and put all the pressure on quarterback Josh Allen. Ultimately, their young QB couldn’t deliver under the pressure.

Mobile quarterbacks made the most of their opportunities on the ground

Something that was missing from the Bears offense this season was Mitchell Trubisky’s mobility. Trubisky has proven to be one of the better mobile quarterbacks in terms of making plays with his legs. But that aspect of his game was glaringly absent. The one time it wasn’t? The Bears pounded the Cowboys in a 31-24 victory, where Trubisky rushed 10 times for 63 yards and one touchdown — on top of his three passing touchdowns.

But the wild-card round was another reminder how utilizing a quarterback’s mobility can provide an extra spark to the run game. Look no further than the Bills-Texans game, where both Josh Allen and Deshaun Watson made plays with their legs. Allen had nine carries for 92 yards while Watson had 14 carries for 55 yards and a score.

Seattle’s Russell Wilson used his legs to make some plays, notching 45 yards on nine carries, while New Orleans’ Taysom Hill had four carries for 50 yards.

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Report: Juan Castillo joining Bears as offensive line coach

Matt Nagy has appointed NFL veteran assistant Juan Castillo as the Bears’ new offensive line coach, with a speciality in the run game.

The Chicago Bears didn’t wait long before addressing an offensive coaching vacancy. Following the firing of four coaches, including offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich, on Tuesday, Matt Nagy has already made a new addition to his coaching staff.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Juan Castillo will be joining the Bears as their new offensive line coach.

Castillo will be replacing Harry Hiestand, who served as Chicago’s offensive line coach from 2018-19 and also previously from 2005-09. Castillo is a veteran NFL assistant who also has experience as a running game coordinator, something that Nagy clearly valued as that’s a key area where the Bears need to get better on offense.

Castillo most recently served two years as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, where he was let go following a disappointing season from his offensive line. But some insisted it was more about the personnel than the coach.

Before his time in Buffalo, Castillo spent four years as an assistant to John Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens, where he spent one season as run game coordinator before changing over to offensive line coach.

Castillo does have some ties to Matt Nagy, as he worked with Nagy under Andy Reid with the Philadelphia Eagles. In fact, Castillo was with the Eagles from 1995 to 2012, where he served different roles. He worked as an offensive assistant, tight ends coach, offensive line coach and defensive coordinator.

It’s clear that this hiring is reliant on Castillo’s reputation as a running game coordinator, which remains one of the Bears’ biggest offensive concerns.

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