Chicago Bears Offense Showing One Big Difference From 2017

The Chicago Bears offense was going to be different this year. They wanted it to be different after the disastrous unit they fielded a season ago.

That’s why head coach Matt Nagy was hired. They hoped he could bring in something different. Something more modernized that could actually dictate the tempo to an NFL defense rather than the other way around. People have come up with several complex explanations for how Nagy will change the Bears defense. Greater use of the shotgun formation. Heavy implementation of the run-pass option and so on.

However, there may be a far simpler way to put it. This Bears offense will be on the attack. In other words, they are going to challenge defenses down the field. This much has already been on display just two weeks into the Nagy era.

Going back through their first two preseason games, it was determined that their quarterbacks took a total of 15 deep shots in the passing game. These are passes that traveled at least 20 yards or more in the air. Looking back to the first two preseason games of last season under John Fox and Dowell Loggains? The Bears took a total of seven deep shots, less than half that number. A stark contrast if ever there was one.

Nagy has said these Chicago Bears will be aggressive

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This shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Nagy comes from a background of quarterbacking that is built on the big play. It was his style in college at Delaware and in the Arena League when he played. Then he made it his style as a coach when he took over as Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator. His team ranked second in the NFL in big plays last season (25 yards or more) with 39. Considering the normally conservative Alex Smith was his quarterback? That’s amazing.

It wasn’t a coincidence that the first pass Mitch Trubisky threw of the preseason was a deep shot to Kevin White either. That was a message, the QB explained after the game.

"“We’re going to be aggressive all year long. That’s coach’s mindset, and we love it. As skill players, and the offensive line, everyone’s gotta buy into that mentality that we’re gonna take shots. We just gotta make them work.”"

It’s worth noting the last time the Bears finished in the top 10 in yards per pass attempt in the NFL was 2013. That was the last time they didn’t have a losing season and also the last time they fielded a legitimate offense that ranked 2nd in scoring. Another note? Seven teams that finished in the top 10 in yards per pass attempt last year made it to the playoffs. Another two had winning records. Philadelphia, the Super Bowl champions? They were 11th. So maybe there’s something to this idea of more aggressiveness.

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