The Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach has high praise for Nick Foles.
Yesterday, the Chicago Bears did not practice, but that did not keep them from making news. After two straight days of practice, in which Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles played to a draw, the Bears got a day off as they ease back into football shape in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although they weren’t on the field making plays, they were still creating some buzz. That’s because of the comments of newly hired quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. Flip, as he’s affectionately known, is very familiar with Foles, having spent time with him in both Philadelphia and Jacksonville. Notably, he was on the Eagles’ staff in 2017 when Foles led the team on a magical run to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
In other words, if there is someone qualified to provide a trusted opinion on Foles, it would be Flip. That’s one of the many reasons what his comments were so interesting. Before we get into those other reasons, you’re probably wondering what he said.
Well, Flip made an interesting and familiar analogy to Foles’ game, stating he would make a “great point guard.” Flip added, “he processes information at an unbelievable speed.”
So why else is are those comments so interesting? Well, it was just over a year ago when Matt Nagy told reporters that he wanted Trubisky to play the role of a “point guard” and get the ball into the hands of his playmakers. To do that, he wanted Trubisky to play fast. To do that, Trubisky needed an in-depth understanding of the offense, and the ability to identify defensive coverages and process what he saw post-snap.
Neither of those things happened in 2019, but they underscore another reason Flip’s comments are important. In praising Foles’ incredible ability to process information, he also inadvertently highlighted Trubisky’s biggest weakness and a flaw that has held the offense back considerably.
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Perhaps it was a harmless coincidence, but if you’re a reader of tea leaves, you may start to think there was a reason Foles and Flip were brought here together — and it wasn’t for a game of pickup basketball.
