I was reading Brad Biggs' (a Chicago Bears beatwriter) article on game, and he included this nugget, which I thought you guys might find interesting. 10. Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan should borrow some notes from Ryan Pace. In a lot of ways the Jets look just like the Bears did a year ago. They have a rookie quarterback who has been impressive at times and downright horrible at other times. The defense is pretty decent with some nice foundational pieces like Williams and Adams. The wide receivers? Bad. Real bad. The Jets wouldn’t be strong at the position even with Quincy Enunwa and Robby Anderson healthy. The Bears were in the same position last year when Pace said at the scouting combine that the position could be overhauled quickly, and he did just that by signing Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel and Trey Burton and drafting Anthony Miller. It would not be surprising if the Jets go heavy for help for Darnold in 2019. Pace also added some obvious talent to elevate his defense from good to great, while going out and finding a brilliant offensive playcaller and QB guru to tutor his young QB. So, how has all of that worked out for Chicago? The Bears have gone from a 5-11 doormat to a 4-3 playoff contender (they should actually be 6-1) and first place in their division. Their defense (when Mack is healthy) is one of the best defenses in the league, and their young QB who struggled last year? Well currently, he is on pace to throw for well over 4,000 yards and over 30 TDs this season. And per ESPN's QB ratings for this season, Trubisky is currently ranked 8th in the entire league, ahead of such QBs as Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, Kirk Cousins, Carson Wentz and Cam Newton. Not too shabby for a young QB who is in his first year in a brand new system, and who is still expected to get better game by game. In short, if the Jets believe that Darnold is the real deal, they would be wise to follow the path which Ryan Pace took to transform the Bears over the course of the past year. I think Jets fans would be ecstatic at this point next year, if they had a coach with the brilliant offensive mind of a Matt Nagy, and if their young 1st round QB was on pace to throw for over 4,000 yards and 30 TD's, as Trubisky is this year.
There's several glaring distinctions between the Bears and Jets that doesn't really make this all that viable or relatable. Starting with the fact that the Jets appear to have a good QB that can run a pro-style offense. I don't think anyone could watch film on Trubisky and come away feeling good about it, including Matt Nagy who has installed a college style offense with a lot of read options to limit the amount of throws he has to make, and they have a guy in the backfield named the "Human Joystick" that allows for all this stuff to actually work. Also, and most importantly. They have the best pass rusher and arguably the best defensive player in the NFL, that also frees up the ability schematicly to do things most teams simply can't. I'm really not even sure what the auther is trying to get at because the parallels he is trying to make don't really make any sense. He brings up WRs and TE like the Jets need to make moves as the Bears did to become what they are. Ok, isn't Robby and Gabriel the same guy? Allen Robinson has not been the superstar they paid for, in fact Quincy who has been injured since the Denver game where he didn't register a stat and has missed the last 2 weeks has 2 more yards than Robinson and 1 less TD. Burton who has been their starting TE all season has only 1 TD more than Herndon who has only become more of a focal point in the last 3 weeks.
DarrelleRevisHuman, thank you for your response, and I do understand your points, but you have to admit that Trubisky has made tremendous strides under Nagy. I mean, you can say that you don't like Trubisky, but you can't really argue with over 4,000 yards passing and over 30 TDs and a 2.5:1 TD to INT ratio, can you??? I think the point the author is trying to make, is that the Jets need to: a-surround Darnold with weapons entering his 2nd season as the Bears did for Trubisky and b-find a brilliant offensive mind like Matt Nagy, to do whatever it takes, to bring the best out of Darnold. Who cares what the offensive system is IF IT WORKS and generates a ton of points?! In fact, you bring up the fact that Nagy installed a system which does not require Trubisky to make "all the throws", but hell, isnt that EXACTLY the point? To find a brilliant offensive mind who knows how to MAXIMIZE a young QB's abilities while minimizing his deficiencies? Honestly, and point-blank...would you not be on Cloud 9 next year, if Darnold was putting up the stats that Trubisky is putting up so far this year?!!
In year 2 if Sam is given the top free agent WR and TE, the best offensive coach available, and goes on to produce 16/29 for 220 yards and 2 TDs (Trubisky's stat line) against a team that is as inexperienced and injured as the Jets. I'm in fact not going to be on cloud 9. Likely I will be in the ER getting my stomach pumped from alcohol poisoning while weeping softly on a nurses shoulder. I can not argue with the statistical numbers, no. I can say that this year seems to be the jumping off point for the days of 4,000 yard seasons and 300 yard games being large statistical values now seem to be the league average. The low INT count also has a lot to do with the defense and pass attempts with Chicago being 25th in attempts. Passing yards on the season Chicago is 24th and the Jets 25th. I'm not even saying this can't be effective or a winning strategy, I just know from watching enough football that in the cold months when games really matter you can only hide a QB but so much. And if Trubisky was the guy I was counting on to bring me back from a 2 score deficit late in the 4th quarter, I'd be extremely nervous.
What have the Bears won lately? When are these idiots gonna follow the Steelers blueprint? Or the Packers blueprint? These are franchises that field perennial contenders. Noooo instead they copy the Bears blueprint and hire their GM from the stinkin' never won a d@mn thing Houston Texans. It's the blind leading the blind!!!!!
OP, I sincerely appreciate you swinging by to inspire us by sharing that piece. Nice gesture. I mean it. Brad Biggs seems to be saying the Jets can quickly improve by getting much better players and maybe a brilliant coach or two. I can understand why he assumes we haven't tried that, but we have. We're fine in the trying department. We just suck at actually doing it. .
Spot on post. The 4 and 3 Chicago Bears with a 1 game lead after less than half a season over the last place 3 and 4 Lions. Brad Briggs article is a blueprint for NFL fans of losing organizations everywhere. What he fails to mention is what if Darnold, like Trubisky, isn't the real deal. Would any of us be ecstatic if we had a "Brilliant" offensive minded HC and a QB who couldn't hit the side of a barn? I was in awe of Naggy and Trubisky pissing their pants in the second half of the Green Bay game.
I don’t think anyone would disagree that the Jets need to pair a brilliant offensive mind with Darnold and also upgrade the talent around him.
Once a team has determined their QB of the future , from that point on, you build the team around him. Biggs' article is an afterthought. We already know what needs to be done, which is easier said than done. The real question is how Mac goes about it moving forward without moving backwards.
Thanks Buddy! We have mutual admiration going since I have been banging the drum for months that what this Francise is heading toward: More help Offensively But to do that the Owners have to CLEAN HOUSE ( same way Bears got rid of Fox) : we don't have a GM like R Pace or a Coach on par with Nagy...any suggestions?? BTW Dont get discouraged by the Negative Nancies with nasty streaks
The problem with the Bears rebuild is they gave away the farm to trade up one spot when Watson, Mahomes and Trubisky were all still on the board. I would take Watson and Kamara or Mahomes and Kamara over Trubisky if I was trying to rebuild. The sad fact is the Jets and the Bears screwed up last year. The Jets GM at least knows it.
In addition, the Jets don't have a 2nd round pick and have glaring needs at LT, edge rusher, and LG. They don't have the luxury of drafting a WR and there won't be the quality WRs in FA in 2019 that there were this year.
It’s not the bears blue print It’s modern NFL Draft your potential “FQB” Hire potential HC “genius” Build around this “FQB” potential Spend on FA while this “FQB” is cheap on rookie deal Roll the dice Ask Seattle Ask Philadelphia Ask Kansas City Ask Los Angeles Ask Texas Ask Falcons All before big QB contracts All pretty decent teams and couple SB winners Don’t care if this is right or wrong it’s just the way it is.
