Operation Optimism: Nagy believes Chicago Bears can turn things around

Matt Nagy is clearly an eternal optimist.

One who believes with all his heart and soul that dire circumstances can - and will - be overcome.

We know this because Nagy expects his bruised, battered, beleaguered and bumbling Bears to rise through the ashes and still salvage something of the season.

This despite a four-game losing streak that has dumped his team to 5-5. Despite losing two quarterbacks to injury. And despite the fact his offense looks like something out of the QBs eras of Mirer/Hutchinson/Quinn.

It's a lot to overcome. But Nagy, who told us Tuesday that quarterback Nick Foles is day to day with hip and glute injuries and that defensive tackle Akiem Hicks has a strained hamstring, wants the Bears to use the bye week wisely and fight like hell to turn this thing around.

"I've been a part of other teams where we've had similar records ... and we've made a run and got into the playoffs and hit it with some good momentum," Nagy said. "So that's the only way I know how to look at this thing.

"How do you do that? You get a win. And then you get another win, and then you get another. Then when the time's right, your arrow is going up rather than down.

"So that's what we're gonna focus on. We're gonna find a way and we're gonna fight until that happens."

The Bears' next game is Nov. 29 against the Packers, who are tied with New Orleans with the best record in the NFC at 7-2. We won't know until next week if Foles or Mitch Trubisky will be ready. If both are available, it's possible the Bears could go back to the more mobile Trubisky.

"When you lose four games in a row, it's all on the table," Nagy said.

Here are the other highlights from Tuesday's 20-minute Zoom call with Nagy:

• Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor will continue to call plays. Nagy was happy with the play-calling in the first half - when Foles missed on at least two golden opportunities - and he doesn't feel it's right to flip-flop that role after just one rough game.

"Trust me: Bill Lazor's a competitor. He cares," Nagy said. "It was hard on him last night after the game; it's hard on him this morning. When you care that much, you want to find answers and you want to fix it. So we're gonna do that together."

• Coaches will self scout every player during the bye week. Nagy clearly wants to zero in on the offensive line, which has been ravaged by injuries and coronavirus issues. He wants to make sure the coaches are putting the best players in the best positions to make the offense go.

• Once the O-line scouting is finished, the Bears must figure how to be more consistent in pass protection. The past few opponents have confused the front five numerous times with stunts, or by just putting two guys in a gap and sending one of them.

Sometimes the Bears figure it out, but oftentimes it's an immediate fire drill.

"You're seeing teams that are doing a lot of different games on the front line," Nagy said. "They're trying to get you to twist and turn and get your offensive linemen to get off course so that they can create a ledge and some leverage and get lanes to the quarterback. ...

"There were times (Monday) when we were in five-man protection where they got us. That's what we've got to fix."

The victorious Vikings had just 2 sacks, but a whopping 11 QB hits on 31 pass attempts.

• The pass protection has been so wonky and inconsistent that even when Foles gets time he doesn't trust it's going to be there. That could be causing him to miss big opportunities because he's making such quick throws.

The good news for the Bears is they have more than a week to do a deep dive on all of these issues. Nagy's confident they will find the answers, mostly due to the culture that is in place at Halas Hall.

"This would get destroyed in a bad culture. Not here," Nagy said. "That's not how it works here. That's why I have ultimate confidence in our coaches and in our players.

"When you keep fighting, a punch will normally land. And if it's a good one - it's a nice uppercut and it knocks 'em out - then you get another one. Then it's a body shot. And you just keep throwing 'em. ...

"What I'm gonna do is come to work every single day and make sure everybody has that fighter's mentality.

"That's what we do. That's how we roll."