A BAD TIME TO SELF- DISTRACT
Foles, Nagy have more important concerns than Griese
Quarterback Nick Foles didn’t wait to talk to his head coach.
Minutes after being asked on Monday night about ‘‘ Griesegate’’ — announcer Brian Griese’s retelling of their conversation that inferred a disconnect between Foles and Matt Nagy — he walked to the visiting coach’s office at SoFi Stadium.
On the air, Griese said Foles told him Nagy didn’t know, when calling plays, how little time he has to throw the ball. Foles watched the “Monday Night Football” clip minutes after the game ended and explained to Nagy, during a long meeting in the office, that Griese misinterpreted their conversation.
“Even though that wasn’t true, what Brian said, it was important for coach Nagy and I to speak about what was said — for our relationship,” Foles said Wednesday. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in a marriage or what. If you keep something away from your wife — you don’t ever talk about it — if you’re married, you know it turns into something that it shouldn’t be.”
Two days later, though, it remains something. Foles was wise to want to snuff out any controversy with his boss right away, but Griese- fire burns nonetheless.
Foles said his conversation with Griese was “twisted” and “said at the wrong time.” He also said he forgives the announcer and wants to handle the situation with “grace.”
But he acknowledged the obvious — it has become a distraction. As if the Bears needed anything else working against their moribund offense, on a short week, with the Saints coming to town.
“It creates something where now we’re still talking about it,” Foles said. “That’s never great, never good.”
The Bears need to spend every second of their week trying to fix their offense — not litigating a production meeting or defending the relationship between coach and player. Because if the offensive output doesn’t improve, their standard defense — that Nagy and Foles need more time together to make the scheme work — will wear even more thin.
If the sideline debate during the Buccaneers game was the first public disagreement of the Foles- Nagy marriage, Griese’s story was the first time a disagreement spilled into the street. Foles’ defense sounds likely — that, during a pre- production meeting, he told Griese he informs Nagy when plays won’t work because defenses are bringing pressure. It also leaves open the possibility that Nagy needs to be told such things, which would be troubling.
Like they did after their passionate sideline conversation was captured on “Thursday Night Football,” Nagy and Foles insisted Wednesday that there was no reason to worry about their collaboration.
“We’re in a really, really good place right now,” Nagy said. “Couldn’t be happier with where things are at with our relationship there.”
Foles said he had a “great relationship” and a “good conversation” with Nagy.
“That’s what’s important, having those relationships with your coaches to where you can actually go in there and talk, and talk like men and put it all out there on the table, so you can move forward in the appropriate way,” he said. ‘‘ So it was really good. And I’m glad we talked.”
Nagy has long touted a give- and- take with his quarterbacks. That took on more significance when the Bears promoted Foles, who boasts more experience, with more teams, than Mitch Trubisky.
“I always want to know what Nick’s thinking,” Nagy said. “And when he has an idea or thought — I told everybody on the front end before this, if you can’t listen to suggestions and thoughts, then you’re crazy.”
One of the traits Nagy loves about Foles is his tendency to over- communicate. On this topic, though, both men have probably said enough.
They have more significant problems to fix before the Saints arrive in Chicago.