The Coach Who Called for the Victory Formation While He Was Losing the Game

In the classic sports movie “Happy Gilmore,” Happy owns a hockey record.  He’s the only player who ever took off his skate and tried to stab a guy with it.

Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy also holds a dubious honor.  He’s one of the few coaches who has ever called for the “victory formation” while losing in a game.  

He did it on Sunday. It was bad.

Before I dive into that, though, I have an announcement to make.  For the first time since 1997, I went to a Bears game.

My brother had an extra ticket.  He drove out, picked me up, and we headed downtown.  We parked in the garage at McCormick Place and walked over to Soldier Field.  

It was a perfect day for football.  Very light breeze, temperature in the low 50’s, and sunny.  

Soldier Field was packed and we had great seats in the corner of the south end zone.  We happened to have a perfect view of the goalposts in the north end zone.  But I’ll get to that in a moment.

First, what is the “victory formation?”  It’s when the quarterback receives the snap and immediately takes a knee.  The appropriate time for the victory formation is when the game is won and all that’s left to do is run out the clock.

On Sunday, the Bears were losing 17-16 to the Los Angeles Chargers.  The clock was stopped with 43 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.  The Bears had the ball on the Chargers’ 21-yard line.  They were within striking distance.  They had one timeout left.  

On first down, Matt Nagy called for the victory formation.  

It feels crazy to type those words.  It felt crazy to witness it.  The boo birds immediately came out at Soldier Field when it happened.

Granted, Nagy’s decision had some logic behind it.  The Bears were in field goal range.  By taking a knee, they could run the clock down to :01 and call their final timeout.  Then, they could kick the winning field goal as time expired.  

It didn’t work out that way. 

They took a knee, let the clock run, and called timeout.  

The problem came when Eddy Piniero’s kick sailed wide left as time expired.  The Chargers walked away with a win.  

Why did Nagy do it?  Why call for the victory formation when you’re losing?  Why not try to get closer for the kick?  Why not throw it into the end zone a time or two?  If you score a touchdown, you don’t have to rely on the kicker to make a field goal.

Soldier Field is a tough place to kick.  The winds are unpredictable.  Piniero had already missed a 33-yarder in the first half, doinking it off the right goalpost just like Cody Parkey did many times last year.

Nagy had time to run a few plays.  He should have run a few plays.  

What if the Bears failed to gain any yards on first, second, or third down, though?  What if Trubisky took a sack?

Not a problem.  They had a timeout to use.  If they lost 10 yards, it would’ve been a 48-yard kick instead of 38. 

48 is still makeable. The wind on Sunday was calm.  The flags on the goalposts were barely moving. A pro kicker should make a 48 yarder most of the time.  

But the Bears were in position for a 38 yarder.  They had 43 seconds.  They had a timeout.  They had room for error.  Why take a knee on first down?

Nagy said after the game that he was worried about a fumble.  He didn’t want the offense to make a mistake.  

He called for the victory formation.  Trubisky took a knee.  The fans booed.

So, they avoided a fumble. They didn’t take a sack or throw an interception.  They went backwards a few yards, though.  The clock ran down to :01 and they called timeout.

At the moment they called timeout, the wind kicked up.  I kid you not.  

A big gust of wind blew in off the lake.  I held up my hand to feel the breeze and I told my brother, “That’s it.  He’s gonna miss it.  Let’s just go now.” 

I had no intention of actually leaving early, but I did not feel good about the upcoming kick.  I don’t think anyone did.  During that suddenly windy timeout, the stadium was absolutely silent.  

Despite all the weirdness, they still had a kick to try.  It was 41 yards out-- just like the 41 yarder they had last year against the Eagles in the playoffs.  That was the kick that Cody Parkey bounced off the goalposts TWICE.  That was the famous “double doink” that ended the Bears’ season.  

The Chargers and the Bears lined up. The whistle blew.  

Snap, hold, kick.  I had a great view of the ball’s trajectory from my seat in the south end zone.  It started out straight down the middle, then it hooked abruptly.  Wide left.  Game over.

A few people booed.  Mostly, everyone headed straight for the exits and left the stadium silently.  

I was stunned.  I was shocked.  It was the most head-scratching finish to a game I’ve ever seen.

Still, you might be wondering, “Was the victory formation really the problem?  It was a makeable kick, despite the wind.  Why not blame the kicker?”

Piniero should have made the kick, but the key mistake was the victory formation.  It sent the wrong message to the team.  

By calling for the victory formation, Nagy was telling his players, “I don’t think you can carry the ball without fumbling.  I don’t think you can pass the ball and avoid an interception.  I don’t think the receivers can run good enough routes.  I don’t think the linemen can block effectively.”

Nagy showed no trust in his players.  They had just taken the ball down the field to the 21-yard line.  Allen Robinson had made a big catch in traffic for nine yards. David Montgomery had picked up a tough first down with a run up the middle.  Trubisky had saved the drive with an amazing scramble, avoiding what would have been a disastrous sack and scampering ahead for ten yards.   

But then, Nagy called for the victory formation.  Down 17-16.  It’s unheard of.  He wanted to save his team from possibly making a devastating error.  Instead, HE made the devastating error.  

What if Trubisky or Montgomery or Robinson had turned the ball over?  After the game, we would have said, “That’s a tough setback for him, but let’s see if he can redeem himself in the coming weeks.” 

On Sunday, Matt Nagy suffered the tough setback.  He made a bad call on the victory formation.  He metaphorically stabbed his team in the back with a hockey skate.  

But let’s see if he can redeem himself in the coming weeks.  I’d love to see him do it.  I think he can do it.