NFL fans crushed the Bears’ Matt Nagy after awful decision led to missed last-second field goal

Every time the Bears line up for a potential game-winning field goal, it leads to those inevitable nightmarish flashbacks.

Last season, Cody Parkey’s season-long struggles played out in the postseason as a missed kick ended the Bears’ season in the NFC Wild Card against the Eagles. Parkey was ultimately released, and the Bears eventually settled on kicker Eddy Pineiro this year.

Pineiro had been solid thus far this season (8 of 9 heading into Sunday’s game), which probably led to the Bears’ obvious confidence in their place kicker on Sunday.

The Bears had the ball from the Chargers’ 21-yard line with 43 seconds left in the game and trailing by a point. Though there was plenty of time to run a play (or two) and set up a closer field goal, the Bears instead elected to take a knee and set up a 41-yard attempt for the win.

Guess what happened?

Eddie Pineiro dressed as Cody Parkey this year 🎃 pic.twitter.com/fp4EvZ0b7p

— NFL Humor (@NFLHumor) October 27, 2019

Pineiro’s kick drifted wide left, and the Bears lost, 17-16, to drop to 3-4 on the season. That distance clearly made the difference in that late tailing on the kick.

But really, head coach Matt Nagy’s strategy of kneeling the ball rather than looking to call another play had NFL fans roasting the Bears.

People dont want to hear this but the Chicago Bears have a much bigger problem than Trubiski. The head coach is the bigger problem. Curious how an offensive genius could turn down chances to get his kicker a chip shot and instead just let the clock run down.

— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) October 27, 2019

Matt Nagy wasting 40 seconds cackling it up with the NFL refs just to miss a FG perfectly sums up the Bears season

— Ahmed/Free Me/A frustrated Kanye fan (@bigbizthegod) October 27, 2019

What if Matt Nagy is an idiot?

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) October 27, 2019

I want answers now.

How the hell does Nagy run the clock down instead of getting more yards for his kicker?

Unbelievable.

— David Prince (@viewsbydavid) October 27, 2019

Matt Nagy deserves that L

Awful, awful decision to just kneel it and settle for a 41-yard attempt.

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) October 27, 2019

Matt Nagy electing to take a knee, rather than try to gain extra yards, with a timeout & nearly a minute left, was maybe the single most indefensible coaching decision of the season thus far.

— nick wright (@getnickwright) October 27, 2019

If the Bears were five yards closer that field goal is good. Nice coaching, Matt Nagy.

— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) October 27, 2019

Astonishing that Nagy would have the offense take a knee with 42 second left. As if a 41-yarder at Soldier Field, attempted by a Bears kicker, is even remotely a gimme. What awful coaching.

— Steve Greenberg (@SLGreenberg) October 27, 2019

Matt Nagy, why in the HECK would you take a knee when you’re still 41 yards away!! Run the ball and get closer. Those few yards made the difference!

Also, #Bears need another kicker… again.

— Emmanuel Acho (@thEMANacho) October 27, 2019

Matt Nagy is a disaster. Mitch, too.

— Adam Schein (@AdamSchein) October 27, 2019