Matt Nagy has put it out there with as much emphasis and forewarning as he possibly can. This latest quarterback change? This transition with Nick Foles taking over in the cockpit for the Chicago Bears offense?
Well, the journey won't be entirely smooth. Turbulence is inevitable. A few anxious moments are likely to arise. The flight pattern might even need to be adjusted at some point.
So while the end goal remains the same _ to land safely in the playoffs when the regular season ends in January _ the captain has illuminated the "fasten seat belts" light. At least temporarily.
"This is not going to happen overnight with Nick," Nagy said Sunday evening, less than an hour after the Bears scored only one touchdown in a 19-11 home loss to the Indianapolis Colts. "This is going to take a little bit of time as he gets going."
The following morning, Nagy again stressed the need for his offense to get calibrated.
The Bears, Nagy said, need to find their identity in the running game. They must improve the timing between Foles and his teammates. They have to sharpen the midweek preparation process and game-day synergy between the quarterback and his play caller.
And on Tuesday, Nagy acknowledged the challenge in still seeing the big picture while assessing the offense's week-to-week results. He also stressed his responsibility to push for production ASAP while not becoming disproportionately frazzled when the growing pains with Foles feel particularly sharp.
"Could we have played a lot better on Sunday? Without a doubt," Nagy said. "We know that. Is this going to take a little bit of time? Yes, it is. It is going to take some time. So that is where, for us as coaches and as players, as long as we understand that (we'll be OK). But we should also know that we need to get on this as soon as we can."
This is a difficult spot for Nagy, Foles and the Bears to be in, with the energy of a 3-0 start potentially transforming into intense 3-2 anxiety in a span of five days. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 5{-point favorites Thursday night at Soldier Field and will arrive in Chicago with momentum after a 484-yard outburst Sunday in a 38-31 defeat of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Much of the city, it seems, is already bracing itself for the worst.
