Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Bears coach Nagy proceeding normally
Matt Nagy is operating as if he'll be the Chicago Bears' head coach at least through the end of this season.
It's an assumption much easier to make, even with a 5-10 record, considering the way the Bears rallied under difficult conditions in Sunday's 25-24 comeback win over the Seattle Seahawks.
They continue to play hard and coach as if there will be more after this season for the coaching staff, even if it looks bleak.
“So really, as we know going into these final two games, not being able to make the playoffs, we have an obligation to do that – that's it, plain and simple,” Nagy said. “If I'm not doing that, then I'm letting someone else down on this team, whether it's a player or coach. It's just real simple; that's not going to happen with me.
“I, and we, all owe that to each other for today and for this week with the Giants and finishing out this week on a high note trying to get a win and then doing it again in the final game of the season.”
Without their top two quarterbacks and Nick Foles starting for the first time in a season and a half, and without key players such as wide receiver Allen Robinson, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and defensive end Akiem Hicks because of COVID-19, the Bears rallied in the fourth quarter to win.
Still, rumors about Nagy's possible firing have persisted since the false report that he would be fired just after Thanksgiving.
He said he has regular communication with general manager Ryan Pace, board chairman George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips, but nothing has changed in this regard.
“We stay on the same path as far as the communication that we have with George, Ted, Ryan and myself; nothing's changed there,” Nagy said.
Jaguars coach search starts
The Jacksonville Jaguars are getting an earlier-than-usual start on their
coaching search.
This time, owner Shad Khan doesn't have his guy already lined up.
The Jaguars (2-13) will begin setting up and interviewing candidates this week – the NFL now allows teams to start the process during the final two weeks of the regular season – and Khan is expected to cast a wide net in search of his fifth head coach in the past decade.
Khan had preliminary discussions with (and essentially targeted) Urban Meyer a year before he fired Doug Marrone following the 2020 season. Khan never imagined Meyer, one of college football's winningest coaches, would be such an NFL debacle.
Khan fired Meyer on Dec. 16, ending one of the most turbulent and toxic coaching tenures in league history, and clearly needs to completely tear down and rebuild a woeful franchise that's endured double-digit losses nine times in his 10 years.
Jacksonville has dropped 34 of its past 39 games, including a 26-21 nailbiter at the New York Jets on Sunday.
Khan was expected to request interviews with currently employed coaches
Tuesday.
Colts lead Pro Bowl selections
The Indianapolis Colts – winners of five of their last six games – had seven players selected to this season's Pro Bowl, the most of any team.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers each have six Pro Bowl selections, while the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have five apiece.
Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and wide receiver Cooper Kupp were revealed early as Pro Bowl selections on Dec. 20.
According to the NFL, Taylor was the top vote-getter with 265,370 fan votes. Joining Taylor among the top five were 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (264,687), Kelce (262,540), 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (244,714) and Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (242,900).
For Brady, he adds yet another record to his storied career. With his 15th Pro Bowl selection, Brady broke a tie with Hall of Famers Tony Gonzalez, Peyton Manning, Bruce Matthews and Merlin Olsen to have the most in league history.
Kupp, Taylor, Diggs and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert are among the notable first-timers.
The Pro Bowl will be held in Las Vegas on Feb. 6.
49ers’ Garoppolo doubtful
San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo injured his right thumb in the 49ers’ loss at Tennessee last week and his status for this week is in doubt.
Garoppolo missed practice Monday because of the injury, and coach Kyle Shanahan said the team would have a better idea about his availability later in the week for Sunday’s game against Houston.
The 49ers (8-7) currently hold a wild-card spot in the NFC.
“It’s a thumb sprain, so I think you guys know how those are,” Shanahan said. “It didn’t feel great today. He wasn’t able to throw today and we’ll see how it is on Wednesday. Hopefully it’ll get better.”
If Garoppolo is unable to play, rookie Trey Lance would get his second start of the season.
COVID-19 list grows
To Indianapolis Colts coach
Frank Reich, it was just a matter of time before his team would be adding a few players to the NFL’s COVID-19 list.
The Colts placed safety Jahleel Addae, cornerback T.J. Carrie, linebacker Malik Jefferson, running back Marlon Mack and tackle Braden Smith on the list Monday. Smith has been a key member of the offensive line that has helped Jonathan Taylor lead the league in rushing. Cornerback Chris Wilcox went on the practice squad COVID-19 list.
“It’s interesting that since we had more unvaxxed players than the average around the league that we were one of the last teams to (test) positive,” Reich said. “You kind of feel like it’s going to catch up with you at some point just because the virus is so rampant. But this is what you prepare for, hitting adversity you don’t expect, although this is something we probably could have expected to hit us at some point.”
Also:
– The Carolina Panthers sent all of their players home from Bank of America Stadium after six more players tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. That brings the total number of Carolina players on the COVID-19 list to 13.
– The Jacksonville Jaguars placed 10 players on the COVID-19 list Monday, including five defensive linemen and two starting offensive linemen.
– Other teams putting players on the ever-growing COVID-19 list Monday included the Tennesse Titans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos and the Green Bay Packers.
– Meanwhile, the Browns, who have been hit as hard as any team by COVID-19 the past few weeks, activated eight players, including defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and running back Kareem Hunt.