Perspectives and Queries on the 2013 Bears

(image credit)

The Bears finished with a worse record this year (8 - 8), than last year (10 - 6).  But the outcome is the same: Missed playoffs.  Still, for the trials and joys of the Marc Trestman & Co. first year, the team kept things competitive.  Except for only two losses, they ended the other six losses just one score behind.

But it was how they lost that I found so damn aggravating.  In the Redskins game, for example, they had a 41 - 38 lead late in the game, and the Bears gave up the winning touchdown with 45 seconds left.  Against the Packers, they were up 28 - 27, and it was 4th down and 8 yards to go, on the Bears 48 yard line, and they gave up the playoff-winning touchdown with 38 seconds left.   

With the backing of GM Phil Emery, Trestman did a fine job of retooling a terrible offense so quickly.  The Bears were tied for second with the Patriots, no less, for points scored per game at 28.8.  

Well before the season started, however, I was afraid the pendulum would swing way to the other side:  that is, from a defensive guru in Lovie Smith, to an offensive guru like Trestman.  Sure enough, it did, as our once-mighty defense stunk up the whole NFL.  The Bears were tied with the Redskins for second to last on points allowed per game at 29.9.

Defensive End Julius Peppers

I posted ESPN Michael Wright's article Bears mum on Julius Peppers' future on Google+, and noted:

Can Julius Peppers recover enough of his former dominant self to help the #Bears improve its 2014 defensive line? 

Two friends commented, so I responded:

Yep. There are a lot interconnected pieces to the defense... For example, Trestman has been noncommital regarding Tucker, and there is talk that the Bears may want a new DC who plays a 3-4 scheme well. Also, what to do about the two injured DTs... on and on? Regardless, things don't look good for Peppers. He may go the way of Urlacher a year ago.

The Bears defense is so broken, that as a fan I can only imagine how daunting of a task it is for Emery & Co. to fix.  For Trestman's clear prowess on the offensive side of the ball, I wonder about his judgment and his toughness.  For instance, not too long ago, he publicly lauded beleaguered Defensive Coordinator Mel Tucker for doing an amazing job.  

Moreover, in that final game against the Packers, Trestman should've kept in mind that his defense was a major liability, and therefore should've called a more aggressive offensive game.  The Bears needed to put up scores in the mid-30s, at least, to have a fighting chance to win.  Of course, Tucker deserved to be questioned on that failed blitz and that blown coverage of the Packers' 4th down and 8 yards to go play.  This team cannot stop anybody, and the buck stops with him.  

Apparently the Bears are non-committal, as of yet, on Tucker's future.  That's a bit of good news, I'd say.  But I don't have confidence that Trestman has the eyes to see Tucker's failings clearly or the balls to make a tough decision on him.  

Trestman is simply the mirror image of Smith, for better and for worse, and so the question falls on Emery:  What will you do?  

Thank you for reading, and let me know what you think!

Ron Villejo, PhD