Remember when New York Giants fans were ready to write Matt Nagy metaphorical apology letters after their electric Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys? Well, not four weeks later, I’m guessing most of those imaginary letters have found their way into the shredder.
The G-Men are 3-1-1 and sitting somewhat pretty atop the NFC East, so lodging a complaint against the offense might feel a bit nitpicky. But between the four straight runs from inside the Rams’ 15-yard line in Week 2 and whatever that first-half game plan was against Washington on Sunday, Nagy’s play-calling as offensive coordinator has become increasingly difficult to defend.
Sean Payton took over offensive play-calling for the Denver Broncos. DeMeco Ryans took over defensive play-calling for the Houston Texans. Unfortunately for Harbs, being a special teams guy doesn’t exactly lend itself to grabbing the offensive play sheet and taking matters into his own hands if Nagy continues to struggle.
John Harbaugh might have backed himself into a corner with Matt Nagy
Payton and Ryans could make those changes because, well, they’re two of the best minds on their respective sides of the ball.
Payton and Drew Brees formed one of the most electric offensive duos in league history down in New Orleans for 15 years, while Ryans -- a former defensive standout himself -- has turned the Texans into a playoff regular behind a staunch defense over three-plus years as head coach.
Harbaugh’s a different beast. He’s spent his NFL career coaching the third phase, overseeing the bigger picture and acting more like a CEO, which is part of what makes him such a good head coach. But if Nagy keeps limiting the offense's potential, Harbs will have to rely on someone else to get it back on track.
And the alternatives aren’t exactly straightforward.
The G-Men have Greg Roman, who’s historically been a stubborn, run-heavy, limited play-caller himself (you thought Nagy was bad), and passing-game coordinator/QBs coach Brian Callahan, who might need some time to get comfortable calling all the shots rather than just worrying about the passing game.
Going with either option halfway through the season would be a pretty significant adjustment, especially with Jaxson Dart out for the year and Jameis Winston doing his best to keep the team afloat. The offense has already shown it can change, leaning heavily on Winston in the Week 5 tie against the Commanders, with Jamo throwing the ball 54 times (!) for 326 yards and three touchdowns. For reference, he attempted just 17 passes in the first half, when the G-Men went into the break trailing 12-3.
Thank the football gods that they eventually switched things up and let Famous Jameis rip it, because watching the offense finally do something only made watching the first three quarters that much more annoying. Why did it take a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit for Nagy to realize something needed to change?
Harbs surrounded himself with plenty of experience for a reason, but five weeks in, he’s already got a pretty big decision looming if Nagy can’t get out of his own way. Bears fans know this better than most. And with New York in first place in the division, it’d be a shame to let questionable play-calling get in the way of a season that’s off to a surprisingly good start.
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