Bears' Matt Nagy Defends Strategy After Eddy Pineiro's Missed Kick vs. Chargers

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy decided it was a good idea to settle for a 41-yard field goal instead of attempting to get closer at the end of Sunday's 17-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and Eddy Pineiro missed it.

"I'm not even going to get into that," Nagy said when asked why he didn't have the offense run more plays in the final minute instead of kneeling, per Adam Hoge of WGN Radio. "I have zero thought of running the ball and taking the chance of fumbling the football. They know you're running the football, so you lose 3-4 yards. That wasn't even in our process as coaches to think about."

In addition to not taking any responsibility for the disastrous turn of events as the head coach, he further expressed his fear the offense would turn it over while also saying that doesn't mean he has a lack of faith in that group:

If anyone should know better than settling for a field goal longer than 40 yards at the end of the game, it is Nagy.

After all, his Bears lost a heartbreaker in last season's playoffs when Cody Parkey missed a 43-yard field goal on the final play against the Philadelphia Eagles (later ruled a block). The miss loomed over the Bears' entire offseason to the point Nagy had to address his unusual tactics when selecting the team's next kicker.

What's more, assuming the Bears would have automatically lost yardage while attempting to get closer against the Chargers defense doesn't take into account how the game unfolded.

David Montgomery ran for 135 yards and a touchdown while averaging five yards per attempt, which was the best game of his rookie season. He consistently ran hard between the tackles and provided a bright spot for an offense that has largely received lackluster quarterback play all season.

The end result is another loss for a Bears team that is on its way to woefully underperforming in 2019.

Chicago was widely seen as a Super Bowl contender at the start of the campaign because of a strong defense but is now 3-4 following a third straight loss. Things also don't get much easier with road trips against the Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings still remaining.