Nagy says Montgomery touchdown ‘average run’
Head coach fighting to pull back hype on rookie running back
BOURBONNAIS — Matt Nagy didn’t actually see David Montgomery’s 7-yard touchdown run in live action Thursday night. The Bears coach confessed to that immediately after the Bears’ 23-13 preseason loss to the Panthers at Soldier Field.
“When you’re calling plays, you’re always kind of prepping yourself for the next play,” Nagy said. “And so I just heard everybody in the background doing the oohs and aahs. So I’d be lying if I told you I saw the whole thing.”
After reviewing Montgomery’s score, the one on which the rookie running back bounced outside with a jump cut and raced into the end zone, Nagy took a trough of ice water and dumped it all over Chicago’s premature jubilation.
“It was OK,” Nagy said with a smile Saturday morning after training-camp practice. “You guys were blowing it up like it was some great run. It was just average. It was good. I mean, jeez.”
To be fair, there wasn’t a whole lot that occurred Thursday night that carried much significance. A dozen starters were held out of action. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky and four of his first-unit linemen, meanwhile, played only three snaps. And of the top 30 players on offense and defense, the only ones who played more than 10 snaps were Montgomery, safety Deon Bush and defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris.
So when Montgomery, the Bears’ top draft choice this spring, offered a rare sneak peek of
something that might actually resemble regularseason action, it electrified a Soldier Field crowd that wants to believe this team can win a Super Bowl.
Montgomery’s touchdown run came five plays after he picked up 23 yards on a screen pass. In all, he had three carries for 16 yards and three catches for 30 yards. Nagy praised the young back after the game, lauding his aggressive running style, football instincts and hard-working mentality.
Still, though, even with all the building excitement and optimism about Montgomery’s potential, Nagy wants to keep the hype train in the station.
“Man,” Nagy said, “I pumped him up a little bit the other night. Now I’ve got to pump the brakes on him a little bit. It was an average run.”
Fair enough.
The Bears still have three exhibition games to participate in before the season arrives Sept. 5 with a big-stage opener against the Packers at Soldier Field. But with none of Nagy’s key players likely to play much, if at all, before then, the chances for outsiders to further whet their whistle will be minimal for the rest of August.
After Saturday’s practice, Nagy wouldn’t say whether Montgomery would play in the next preseason game Friday against the Giants. Perhaps the Bears saw enough of the young back Thursday against the Panthers to feel comfortable shutting him down for the rest of the preseason.
“Put it this way,” Nagy said. “I’m going to protect David from David. Take that for what it’s worth.”
For now, at least the most dedicated Bears fans have that “average” 7-yard touchdown run to savor as they wait for Montgomery’s next big moment.