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Chicago Bears: Andy Reid disciples vs. Bill Belichick

By Erik Lambert

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 16: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs shake hands after the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Chiefs 27-20. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 16: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots and head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs shake hands after the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Chiefs 27-20. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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Few coaches have given Bill Belichick more trouble than Andy Reid. Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy should know, having come up under the man.

It also seems to be a right of passage for Reid disciples to get their crack at the almighty Hoodie. If one can deliver a strong performance against the best there is, then they can have success in the NFL. Nagy is preparing for that exact test just one week after watching his mentor go down in valiant defeat, losing a 43-40 thriller in New England. No doubt the Bears head coach is hoping for a better result in his first official crack at the Patriots.

This brings up an interesting question. How have the other Reid disciples fared in their first shots at Belichick? To date, there have been six other head coach who learned under him that went on to face off with the Patriots patriarch at least once. The results weren’t exactly consistent but they were interesting to be sure.

  • Doug Pederson:  41-33 victory
  • Todd Bowles:  27-24 loss
  • Sean McDermott:  23-3 loss
  • Ron Rivera:  24-20 victory
  • John Harbaugh:  27-21 loss
  • Brad Childress:  31-7 loss

There are a few things to note here. The two coaches who managed to defeat Belichick in their first attempt went on to reach a Super Bowl. The other two who provided competitive games posted at least one winning record with their respective teams and Harbaugh actually would defeat Belichick later that season in the playoffs. So the track record is fairly strong. A good sign for Sunday.

Chicago Bears can’t afford mistakes against Belichick

It’s not some sort of magic formula to beating the Patriots. One of the reasons they’re so tough is because they play smart, disciplined football and don’t make mistakes. The Bears may consider themselves a talented team, but if they want to slug it out with the big boys they have to learn not to hurt themselves before they can hurt the opponent. This was a harsh lesson they learned at the feet of a regular Patriots whipping post in Miami.

If they play like that against New England, they’re going to lose. This is where Nagy’s big challenge comes in. Can he get the team to play with more poise and discipline than last week or is this the start of a trend that future opponents will take advantage of? None are better at testing that than Belichick, who thrives on taking away what you do best to see whether you can adjust.

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