The Quandary of Marc Trestman

Marc Trestman

The Bears were embarrassed out of their football uniforms in New England on October 26th, as the Patriots mauled them 51-23.  After a Bye week of licking their wounds, suturing lacerations, and preparing for the operating table at Lambeau Field, they follow up with a fine encore of a performance worthy of the record books of infamy: Packers drilled them 55-14 yesterday evening.  A glance at these numbers say outright that two weeks of preparation resulted in an even worse performance.  I mean, each Bear was humiliated right out of their jock straps, and were chasing after their own tails totally butt naked up in northern Wisconsin.  

Fans were in an absolute uproar, and must have collectively called for the heads of Phil Emery, Marc Trestman, and any of his coaches on a black-and-orange platter.  Preferably with an apple in each of their mouths.  Trestman was his usual sterile, diplomatic, implacable self in his press conference this afternoon, and what can the man say that he hasn't already said?  Reporters asked if any assistant would get his pink slip.  He said no, that he had confidence in the job his staff was doing (huh).  One asked if the embattled and under-performing Jay Cutler would be benched.  He went roundabout to say, once again, no.  In a way, these questions were flatly unfair, as the media and fans know that Trestman doesn't really have the authority or courage to take tough action. 

Football Competency

The buck stops with Trestman as far as the football team and its performance are concerned.  He has a solid resume of experiences, mainly as a quarterback coach and offensive coordinator in the NFL.  Before joining the Bears early in 2013, he was head coach in the CFL, and took home the Grey Cup championship with the Montreal Alouettes in 2009 and 2010.  He was also Coach of the Year in 2009, so not bad at all.  The man has been coaching football since 1981. 

I wonder, though, if we probe beyond these experiences and into his cranium, how much he really understands football, especially defense.  Presumably he knows far more than the average fan, but whatever it is, Is it sufficient in an NFL head coach role?  I just don't have confidence that he does.  The defense was a train wreck in his first year with the Bears, and this year?  The Patriots and Packers can answer that question much better than I can. Of course he doesn't have to be a defensive guru to be a good head coach, but he has to know enough about that side of the ball to identify and evaluate the right defensive coordinator.  The Titanic of a disaster that is the defense suggests that he can do neither.  

Moreover, I wonder if how fit and effective he would be as offensive coordinator.  His resume in the NFL is marked by one- to two-year stints and a couple of gaps.  His most stable gig was with the CFL, but I imagine it doesn't compare that well to the NFL.  This year his playcalling has been rather suspect.  For example, his default has been to pass on 3rd down, even when it's short or when it's goal-to-go.  He and Cutler don't seem wired to run the football, even though they have a premier running back on their team, that is, Matt Forte.

So about all that I see him truly capable of is quarterback coach.  But perhaps he can learn and develop his football competency, and thus become a better coach.  I would've hoped that in the off-season, which is relatively lengthy for the NFL, he had done so, but his performance as head coach absolutely worsened in his sophomore year.

Emotional Intelligence

Trestman is baffled.  In his press conference, he talked about how well his players practiced, how well they followed coaches direction, and how well they listened to him in particular.  Then, for him and everyone else to witness the nationally-televised implosion last night, I'd say that's pretty baffling indeed.  Former Bear Tom Thayer came on The Score this morning, and basically said practice doesn't necessarily translate onto on-field, in-game performance.  So something is terribly wrong with this picture, and the buck-stops-here head coach clearly doesn't have a clue.

My guess is that the man has insufficient Emotional Intelligence to discern the unspoken communication, maybe the body language or locker room whispers filtering through his team.  No doubt, Trestman is a really good guy and a class act.  You can count on him not to throw you under the bus, if you make a mistake, even repeated mistakes.  He is tolerant and diplomatic to a T, and my guess, too, is that players like him for that. 

However, do they truly respect him, or have confidence in him, or share his vision for the team (whatever that might be), that's an open question, it seems.  Emotional Intelligence is what helps us see below the surface, tap a wellspring of thoughts and emotions, and generally make sense of things that aren't subject to logic, rationale or analysis.  The man seems to live wholly in the Left Brain, and at the same time has a sham of a Right Brain.

Leadership Authority

To be blunt, Trestman needs to grow some balls.  So he has one hallmark of great leadership that James Collins and his research team found several years ago:  Such a leader is first to accept blame when things go wrong, and is the first to credit the team when things go right.  Another hallmark is that a great leader is tough as nails around results.  He (or she) makes sure that the right people are on the bus and at the same time the wrong people are off the bus.  Trestman is frankly pathetic on this latter point. 

In Bears alone in Chicago struggles, Melissa Isaacson tactfully compared him to his city counterparts: Bulls Tom Thibodeau and Blackhawks Joel Quenneville.  Essentially they make absolutely no bones about what they expect of their respective players, and to Collins' points they are not hesitant to hold any of them accountable for their performance.  Quenneville in particular benches, or even scratches, players who commit egregious errors on the ice.  Thibodeau is the same way.  Both men have balls in other words. 

After nearly two years with the team now, we can see clearly that Trestman is who Trestman is.  It's doubtful that GM Phil Emery will do anything before season's end.  He is a case study in his own right, but I think he's done a fine job of getting the right players for coaches to work with.  In fact there is so much talent on both sides of the football, that is, on offense and defense.  But his questionably competent, tone deaf, and cowardly hire, and his band of merry men, are simply not cutting the mustard. 

The Bears are a storied franchise, and it goes back to the great George Halas.  Look at what Emery, Trestman et al. are doing to his baby.  He has to be doing more than just turning in his grave; he must be clamoring to break out of that coffin, come back to the sidelines and his namesake office (Halas Hall), and whip everyone into shape. 

In the meantime, I no longer feel a need to watch their games.  I love sports, and I love football in particular.  But there are much better teams and games to sample, and I love Quenneville's team above all.  So in my really hectic schedule, I have to prioritize, and be strategic with, what I'm going to watch, study and follow.  It's the Blackhawks. 

Question of Defense: 2014 Seahawks vs 1986 Bears?

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Reference: Is Seahawks' Defense Greatest Ever?

How does Seahawks D compare to Bears D, especially in that SB-winning season (1985-1986)? 

Skip picked 85 Bears. Had to give him props for that! Lol

Yep, I do hope the Seahawks are not one-and-done like our Bears were, unfortunately.

Right? Hopefully not.

Well, it'll be a while before Bears get to the SB, so I'm just going to enjoy the Seahawks until then. It'll take time for Trestman to crack the code of the Seahawks D.

Me too for sure. I enjoy the NFL. I'll always enjoy great football! 

Yep, I love the Bears, but I'm a football fan in general. 

85 Bears no question. That defense drubbed everyone all season long. Offenses didn't go into games thinking they could win, they went in afraid. 

I may be biased on this subject but for me it's the 85 BEARS. The Seahawks are very good and even display some flashes of brilliance but I think their place in defensive history is still to be determined. ...

Rob, I'm biased, too. I saw many of those games, and have videotapes of their Super Bowl run. Sean, Exactly. QBs had the vaunted 46 staring them in the eyes, and they were deer-caught-in-the-headlights from the get-go.

So did I. .And I totally agree with you. . Growing up in Chicago was the BEST all those great memories. ...

DL- Hartenstine, Hampton, McMichael, Dent.
LB - Marshall, Singletary, Wilson.
CB - Frazier & Richardson (the only questionable)
S- Duerson & Fencik 

Good grief, what a lineup! With that defense Culter could have won a Super Bowl with Knox, Earl Bennett and me playing wideouts.

That's right, people called him LA (Lazy Ass) Richardson, because he seemed to be the weakest link. I don't remember if Fridge started at the beginning of the season, but Buddy slid Hartenstine to the bench (probably at Ditka's demand).

Oh, man, 2013 offense (2nd only to Broncos) + 1985 defense = SB, for sure! Emery & Co. have a decent window in which to fix the defense and make the team contenders.

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Perspectives and Queries on the 2013 Bears

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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

Oh, Thank Heavens for the Ravens!

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I posted the following in the Chicago Bears Google+ community this afternoon:

When both offense and defense are scoring points, it's hard to beat the Bears. So congratulations for a really good win yesterday!

It's still a really tight playoff hunt, but as of right now, as we all know, Bears are in first place in the NFC North: half-game ahead of the Lions.

But they need help to get in the playoffs at season's end. We need the Ravens to play with Super Bowl pride, and beat the Lions tonight. It doesn't matter how they win, they just have to win.

The Ravens are fighting for their playoff lives, too, and as of right now, they're a half game behind the Dolphins for the last playoff spot in the AFC. So they have added motivation to win. They're a very well-coached team, so don't expect a Cowboys-like meltdown tonight.

Then, with a Ravens win, the Bears regain control their destiny. They lost control, after that devastating 2nd loss to the Lions. Beat the Eagles and the Packers, and they're in.

There's talk that Packers may shut Aaron Rodgers down for the season, but that was before their improbable win yesterday. If he's healthy, he'll play.

In the meantime, there's talk that Briggs may be back in the lineup soon. I don't know about Peanut, or even DJ, but we'll get guys back.

Once in the playoffs, anything can happen. It's a brand new season, after the New Year.

So let's go, Ravens! Let's go, Bears!

As it turned out, the Ravens won in awesome, dramatic fashion.  It was a last-minute, 61-yard field goal by Justin Tucker that won it.  18-16, in favor of the team that mattered most to the Bears.

Here, we go.  

Bears have a tough match up with the Eagles, but they have the capability to win.  Jay Cutler had a full game to work out the rust, and will have a full week of practice to prepare.  Lance Briggs may be cleared to play, but we will not know perhaps until this coming Friday.  

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Bears Marc Trestman Must Weigh Human Element

Chicago Bears Head Coach Marc Trestman

As Matt Eurich reports in Marc Trestman's honeymoon phase over with Chicago Bears fans, the Bears Head Coach appreciates the importance of analytics in football decision-making.  The book and the film `Moneyball may have popularized more statistics-driven sports, but it didn't speak entirely to the complexity and even the incompleteness of such an approach.  In baseball parlance, it's called sabermetrics, after the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).

I posted Eurich's article, and commented:

The thing about sports analytics (rf. sabermetrics) is that it strips off the human element of decision-making. On the one hand, this is good, because some aspects of being human are not logical or rational and these work against proper decision-making. On the other hand, this is bad, because sports is inevitably a human effort and because sports is infinitely more complex than any analytics can account for (at least right now). So, at the end of the day, to make proper use of an analytics report or stat sheet, we have to put that human element back into the `equation (i.e., decision-making). We have to recognize that that human element is the essence of sports.

In the end he is still a rookie head coach. Mistakes happen, and just as his team has to learn to pick themselves up from mistakes, so does he. Fans were on cloud-nine when his offense helped lead come from behind victories against the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings in Weeks-1 and 2, and while the dreamy honeymoon phase with a new coach never lasts forever, let’s just hope it does not turn into a nightmare anytime soon.

In Trestman's case, that human element has a good amount to do, indeed, with lack of previous experience as head coach.  He strikes us as a thoughtful, smart man, but how well he learns the ropes at this level and how well he improves his decision-making will determine the Bears' success for the foreseeable future.  Obviously, studying, assessing and reflecting on his coaching decisions are keys to that learning and improvement.  But he may need coaching and mentoring himself, particularly in how to account for that human element - that is, his own football intuition, thinking style and cognitive ability - vis-a-vis football analytics.

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Run Defense and Penalties Killed the Bears

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On November 25th 2013, I posted a lengthy commentary on the Chicago Bears community. It was a day after an aggravating 21-42 loss to the St. Louis Rams. It generated an even lengthier discussion among a few of us members.

What a roller coaster game! It's like the Bears were expecting a 1 PM start, then found out they had to get on the field, before they were ready. But after such an embarrassing start, they got things settled down for two quarters, and got back in the game. Then the wheels totally came off ...

Here are stats I was keying on, after the game:

I.

Our defense is atrocious, and is, not surprisingly, dead last in the NFL against the run at 145.2 yards/game. They gave up 258 yards to a Rams team that was, at best, a middling running team (15th, at 113.8 yard/game). Just inexcusable! And they're going to face AP [Vikings' Adrian Peterson] on Sunday (yikes).
But what I found surprising were: (a) Broncos (27th, 378.0 yards/game) have a worse overall defense than the Bears (26th, 376.0 yards/game). Which doesn't bode well for Peyton & Co.'s Super Bowl aspirations. (b) Our pass defense isn't all that bad: 13th, at 230.8 yard/game. This stat may be misleading, though, because teams may be slanting towards the run against the Bears. For example, pass-rush plays for the Rams yesterday: 22-29. 

II.

Penalties, penalties. They made me totally insane! e.g., On Devin's return TD, on Forte's rushing TD... Of course there were some questionable calls on both sides, but for that last Bears TD, in the red zone, the referees seemed to be on our side.

Bears are one of the least penalized teams in the NFL: 9th, at 5.7 penalties/game. Some of the broadcasters lauded the Bears for their discipline and focus, e.g., just a couple of false start penalties, early in the season. But what's disturbing is, In the last 3 games, the Bears are the 2nd most penalized team in the league: at 9.3 penalties/game. They were nailed 10 times, for 84 yards, yesterday. What the hey is going on, man?

III.

Finally, the silver lining in all of this? Bears (6-5) are still very much in the playoff hunt! But, Bears fans, don't be fooled, when sports reporters say they're tied for the Division lead: They are not! Because Lions (6-5) own the tiebreaker, the Bears have to finish with a better record to win the Division. This is the Bears' best chance to get in. The wild card picture is tougher, because they have to do better than really good teams, like Cardinals (7-4) and 49ers (6-4, currently; they play Redskins tonight).

Of course the Packers (5-5-1) are right there in the playoff hunt, too. If Rodgers gets back earlier than expected, say goodbye to the Bears and Lions.

I don't know how Trestman and staff are going to do this: Defense must keep opponents to under 30 points, and keep RBs closer to their season average in rush yards given up. Some of you in the community made a good point, that we need Cutler to win, if our defense is going to give up 30+ points. Otherwise, a McCown-led offense is methodic and reliable at scoring in the mid- to upper-20s. Plus, as a team, Bears have to get back to their mental discipline and focus, and minimize costly penalties. You don't need to have any special talent to avoid holding and illegal blocks!

Whew, what do you guys think?

I've been saying all along that Mel Tucker is the dynamite that destroyed our Defense. This is the worst Defensive team we've had in my lifetime of 38 years. His Defensive play calling puts players out of position before the ball is even snapped and the players seem to be injuring themselves trying their best to cover the enormous amount of ground that is asked of them. Tucker was kicked out of Cleveland and chased out of Jacksonville. (Those are some pathetic teams right there!) Yes we need some players and players to make plays, but having this BUM show the NFL ropes to players like Bostic is going to ruin the kid. Tucker has to go in order for this team to get better!

Do you think Trestman is tough enough to make that tough call on Tucker? If not, I expect Emery to step in.

Trestman went through 4 defensive Coordinators in 5 years while in Canada. I would almost expect the same here. I've got my fingers crossed that Singletary will be job hunting when the season is over.

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tucker is a solid d. coordinator. In Cleveland and Jacksonville his defenses were top 5 or better. Tucker runs a 3-4 scheme. The bears are currently a 4-3 tampa 2 defense.

The dynamite that destroyed the bears defense is horrible drafting, no depth and age. Expect major turnover when they switch schemes. 

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Cleveland fans were calling for his head. And in the 2012 season Tuckers Defense ranked 30th against the rush and 22nd against that pass. He had 4 years in Jacksonville....so it was his players and his calls. Our stats now rate similar to his last season stats in Jacksonville. Any other answers to this similarity?

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I think too many injuries on defense. 3 DTs, 2 LBs, a CB and a NB. They've got guys playing who were on the couch a few weeks ago. What can we expect? How can Tucker be blamed for this?

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the players on defense are garbage. Major Wright and Chris Conte are awful safeties. James Anderson is good on pass coverage, but horrible on run defense. Peppers is terrible. Only decent players are Paea, Briggs, Ozougwu and Jennings. I'll post the defensive player grades and you tell me who is great. 

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So what you're saying is that Phil Emery is to blame? He's not competent enough to draft players? Yet all last season and last year our fans praised this guy. 

Conte wasn't an all-star but was by no means horrible. Major Wright was considered progressing. So in 1 season, Peppers (a HOF player) forgot how to tackle, Jennings forgot how to intercept a ball and we can't stop a 3rd string RB from running all over us like the 2nd coming of Walter Payton? 

Tucker is a BUM! He came from 2 teams that are NFL floor mats and was sold to us as a defensive genius. I'm not buying it. 

Let's just hope Trestman stays true to form and fires another D Cord this season. He went through 4 in 5 seasons in Canada.

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I only mentioned injured players, don't get me started on the safeties...How bad are the backup safeties that they can't crack the starting lineup with those two bums out there?

My two-cents is Tucker is very much trying to get a feel for these players, injuries and all, and for offenses he's seeing. But he doesn't adjust very quickly or very well. The two weeks off did him and his staff a world of good, it seems, as the defense played better against the Packers, Lions and Ravens. But my guess is that the Rams studied film very well, and knew how to exploit the weaknesses in the defense big time, including Tucker's difficulty adjusting. Recently Trestman gave Tucker a big vote of confidence, but I'm not sure if that means anything, really. Bottomline: Emery has a lot of work to do with the defense, and it may take him two years to get it corrected. My guess is that he's more or less decided to "tag" Cutler, so he can focus as much as possible on the defense. 

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In 2 years Emery's changed out 7 offensive starters, 8 if you count Bitten who plays on a regular basis. The only starters left from pre-Emery are Cutler, Forte, Garza and Earl Bennet. 

As of now on defense there are 3 rookies and 2 2nd year guys starting or playing regularly. If any of them make the leap that Jeffery did that will be a plus. And based on what Emery did to the offense, I expect we'll see 4 or 5 more new starters next season. 

And I agree he will tag Cutler - he has to in order to fix the rest of the roster.

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The postscript is this: The Bears just lost to the Vikings 20-23 in OT.  This, after leading 20-10 through three quarters.  They settled down the costly penalties (nailed six times for 51 yards).  But the run defense?  Another big stinker at 246 yards given up, 211 yard to AP alone.  With the Lions (7-5) winning on Thanksgiving Day, the Bears (6-6) are now a longshot at making the playoffs.  

Ah, well, at least it was a thrilling OT game, at the end of the day, and as a football fan I love that.  

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

1985 - 1986 Super Bowl Bears Reunite

A reunion of the 1985 - 1986 Super Bowl Bears is always special.  It is, admittedly, a way to live a triumph of the past.  But more, I think, it is a reminder that life goes on, beyond the playing field.  That these storied men of the gridiron have personal lives.  That time passes, as it does for all of us, so we are no longer young but our memories forever are.

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Personal Impact of the Bears' Beastly 46 Defense

I was 26 years old, that magical 1985 - 1986 season for the Bears, and how I felt so enthralled that I still remember the feeling nearly 30 years later.  

Imagine finding yourself in an aggravating, infuriating situation, for example, being cut off in traffic.  You want to chase after that driver, run him down, and do a host of things to him that you imagine doing.  But all that want simply stayed, of course, in the fiery hell of your imagination.  It dissipates, and you move on.  You keep driving, calmer with the short passing of time and clearing of traffic.  

But does it really dissipate?  

We could generate that aggravation or fury via sports, and find sanctioned opportunities, time and time again, to express it, release it, and recover a physical and psychological equilibrium.  Working out in the gym could serve a similar purpose.  But it couldn't beat playing sports, because it's a competition and you work at it against an opponent.  Watching sports was also no pure satisfaction, but it was the second best thing to do.  Unleash our aggression, albeit vicariously, in the safety and comfort of our living room.    

The Bears vaunted 46 defense that season was the exception to it all.  I didn't just feel release and calm from a big sack by Richard Dent, or a big hit by Otis Wilson, or a categorical shutdown of the opposing offense as we saw in those playoff games against the Giants, Rams and Patriots.  I also felt joy, maybe ennoblement, even a perfect strength that seemed to change me physically.  I remember leaping off my parent's Lazy Boy, and jumping so high I nearly punched a hole in the family room ceiling.  

So as the 2013 - 2014 Bears defense increasingly looking like a college unit, especially after giving up 45 points to the Redskins yesterday, I go back to that unstoppable 46 defense.

Enjoy!

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Bears Defense Under the Spotlight

Defensive Coordinator, Mel Tucker

I posted this in the Chicago Bears community on Google+ earlier this week:

When we transitioned from a defensive-minded head coach, to an offensive-minded head coach, I hoped that the pendulum wouldn't swing from one extreme to the other.

This year so far, here's how we rank in the NFL: Bears have gained 369.2 yards a game (9th), and have given up 373.0 yards a game (23rd).

Last year, the numbers were: 310.6 (28th), and 315.6 (5th).

So far, Jay Cutler is playing very well: QBR 73.5 (3rd). It's the Trestman factor, along with a much better O Line and receiving corps.
But, man, it sure seems like the pendulum is swinging to the other extreme. The defense is giving up a lot of big yards: Other teams are finding passing seams in our zone coverage and busting their RBs right into the secondary way too often.

The good news is, after the Redskins game, the Bears don't play for 14 days straight (including the bye week). So players with nicks and bruises can heal up; the backup starters can get in extra film and practice; Mel Tucker and staff can figure things out and make improvements.

Lovie Smith botched up the offense year after year. How will Marc Trestman do with the defense this year?

What do you guys think?

After several comments from friends, I added this:

Here's a couple more stats for you guys: Bears are tied with Seahawks for NFL lead in takeaways (17). A big carry-over plus from last year. But our defense has given up 67 more points than Seahawks.

So I'm sure Emery is keeping a close eye on what's going on, and planning short-term and long-term moves with this unit. I'm glad to know Mel Tucker is highly-regarded, because, man, he's got his hands full.

Clearly, the Bears are a work-in-progress. But despite all the issues right now, they're doing good at 4 - 2.

Let's go, Bears, let's get a W in FedExField on Sunday! Go into the bye at 5 - 2. Then, big Monday night showdown with the Cheese on November 4th! 

Then Sean Carroll asked if the Bears defense have outscored the Seahawks defense.  The short answer is yes!

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After more digging, I posted this today:

Bears defense have scored 4 TDs in 6 games: 3 Pick 6s (Jennings [2], Wright [1]) and 1 Fumble Return (Peppers). Seahawks defense have scored just 1 TD in 7 games: a Pick 6.

A major difference: Bears defense giving up 26.8 points a game (25th), Seahawks 16.6 points a game (5th). If we adjust for those defensive scores: it's 22.1 and 15.6 points a game, respectively.

The only caveat to these stats is this: I'm not sure exactly how points-a-game is calculated. Bears offense, e.g., have given up 2 Fumble Returns. Do these scores count against the defense? Conversely, do the defensive scores count for the offense? If so, then we can ignore my adjustment above.

Right now, Bears offense score 28.7 points a game (3rd).

One other stat: Among winning teams in the NFL (i.e., > .500 records), the Bears point differential is second lowest (+11). (Lowest is the Bengals [+10].) Which means the Bears have been playing well enough to win, and even when they've lost, they've hung in the ballgame and kept things close in the end.

For a team that's basically rebuilding, the Bears are a good football team at 4 - 2. Credit: Phil Emery. Reference: Chicago Cubs at 127 - 197, 2 years out of a 5-year rebuilding plan under Theo Epstein, are a train wreck!

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Sweetness is the Legendary Walter Payton

Walter Payton's son Jarrett began posting a daily photo of No. 34, on August 6th, exactly 34 days before the Chicago Bears play their 2013-2014 season opener.  This is definitely a walk down memory lane with the football legend.

Payton sometimes ran roughshod, holding the football like this

Payton, alongside the Punky QB Jim McMahon

Payton, sandwiched by Calvin Thomas and Neal Anderson

Payton, with Michael Jordan and Andre (The Hawk) Dawson

Payton, in bitter cold Chicago winter

Father and son, after an emotional Hall of Fame speech 

May his Sweetness always rest in peace

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Good Football Drama Continues for the Bears

The curious, da'Coach 

Rick Telander throws in a few choice bits in his Sunday Stew:  Mike Tice gets a yay for the neigh.  I say, If you're fundamentally a good coach, you'll do well wherever you may coach.

Are you a good coach?

• Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron, questions answered.  
• Papa Bear, question answered long-ago.  
• Mike Ditka, a curious case.

Mike Dikta, circa 1986

Iron Mike is the winningest coach in the post-Papa Bear era, but his one-and-done Super Bowl was a major disappointment.  His Bears of the late 1980s were poised to nab two or three more Vince Lombardi trophies... (sigh)  Then, he tanked as head coach for the Saints.  Still, Iron Mike has done well as a straight-shooting analyst and a commercial staple.

• Mike Tice, no comment.

Not quite West Coast

Adam Jahns reports Bears’ defense believes Marc Trestman’s new-look offense stands up.

‘‘I feel like we’ve kind of been West Coast before, but they’re very West Coast now,’’ [safety Chris] Conte said. ‘‘They’re spreading the ball out. The wide receivers are going to be heavy in the offense, and we’ve got some good tight ends that help open up the passing game, too. I think there’s going to be a lot of passing out of our offense. Jay Cutler is doing a great job.’’

What I want to know, Is it the Air Coryell West Coast offense or the Bill Walsh West Coast offense?  Oh, never mind.  It's the Marc Trestman Midwest Plains offense.

Matt Forte, in the spotlight

I say, Any successful passing game is complemented by a successful running game.  Sure, the focus has been on the QB, the wideouts, and the tight end.  But Matt Forte and his running mates in the depth chart are the pivotal figures in the Midwest Plains offense.

As the world turns

Good football drama coming out of the preseason loss to the Carolina Panthers, as evidenced in Mark Potash's post-game focus on Jon Bostic pushing D.J. Williams for starting MLB spot.

While [rookie middle linebacker] Bostic probably made his share of mistakes, he also made the kind of big play that automatically earns you a better look. Bostic ­intercepted a Cam Newton pass in the first quarter and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown.

Jon Bostic, great hands, great attitude

The injured DJ Williams is slated to follow in the footsteps of the long-time Bear-in-the-middle Brian Urlacher.  But in his place, Bostic quickly made the 2013 Bears defensive debut look like the beastly 2012 Bears defense, that is, with a Pick 6 in the first quarter!

With Williams still week-to-week, Bostic took the first step toward challenging for the starting job. At this stage, it’s possible he could win it by the first game of the regular season. 

‘‘I’m not even looking at that,’’ Bostic said. ‘‘I’ve got to get a lot better before I can even think about being the starter and running out with some of these guys that have done all these great things around here. I’ve got a lot of stuff to learn.’’ 

Bostic is aware of his opportunity. But he doesn’t want to get carried away. Williams still is the Bears’ starting middle linebacker. 

‘‘I’m trying to take it day-by-day,’’ Bostic said. ‘‘Look at the film and just try to improve on the mistakes and get ready for practice on Sunday.’’ 

But should Williams be nervous? 

‘‘No, D.J.’s a vet,’’ [linebacker James] Anderson said. ‘‘They go out and put stuff on film, and the coaches make decisions. That’s the nature of the business.’’

I say, Bostic has a mature attitude for a rookie, which will always hold him in good stead in a veteran milieu that demands he earns his stripes.

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Veteran Bears Vet at Camp Confidential

Things are going well for the Bears at camp so far. But the biggest questions will only be answered, once real football games start.  Camp Confidential:  Chicago Bears is a great article by Jeff Dickerson, with ESPN Chicago, but the real man in the hot seat is GM Phil Emery. Will the big changes he made (e.g., bringing Marc Trestman in, along with key players) work out? Will the risks he took (e.g., firing Lovie Smith, mishandling Brian Urlacher) pay off?

Jay Cutler

"It’s been going well," Cutler said. "There have been ups and downs. That’s any training camp. Guys are learning the offense and we’re moving along. Just the verbiage is the most difficult aspect. Any time you go to a new offense guys are going to be in similar positions on the field. It’s just learning the verbiage and being able to spit it out."

Cutler doesn't have the most endearing personality around, but I think he's learned to position his remarks more positively with the media.  All eyes are definitely on him.  At least he has the favor of Emery and Trestman, for his talent and potential.

Brandon Marshall

"I am [looking forward to having more weapons]," Marshall told ESPNChicago.com. "It was tough sledding last year. I think that's why I had to have the surgery. I had two or three guys on me every single play, but bringing in big boy Martellus, I don't think the league really knows how good he is. I didn't know, and that was one of my great friends in the league. So I'm excited to see him; he's going to be awesome this year for us."

Marshall was definitely a lone duck and a sitting duck out there.  Defenses knew that Cutler would go to him, time and time again, so they stacked up on the poor guy.  With second-year wideout Alshon Jeffery back from injuries, and the gregarious Martellus Bennett coming in with much better than hands at tight-end than his predecessor, plus Matt Forte figuring to catch more coming out of the backfield, Marshall can expect to have another great year with a well-balanced offense.

Lance Briggs

"It’s tough [without Urlacher]," Briggs said. "But we’re all grown men. We have to move on."

Briggs now assumes play-calling duties, from his weak-side linebacker post.  I imagine it's unusual to have a player other than the middle linebacker calling the shots, but new defensive coordinator Mel Tucker must've looked to a veteran star like Briggs to take that on.  From the sounds of it, the defense will be business-as-usual:  smart-playing, hard-hitting and ball-hawking.

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Not Fair for Richard Dent to Blame Mike Ditka

Richard Dent blames Mike Ditka for the Chicago Bears' failure to win another Vince Lombardi trophy, after such a crushing victory in Super Bowl XX.  They were poised to win at least two more, and it was very disappointing and frustrating to watch them fall short.  Repeatedly.

Ditka needed to adapt his style

My first reaction, honestly, was to agree with him.

The fiery, in-your-face style of Da Coach worked perfectly with his team.  Just one loss in a dominant 1985-1986 season, and just 10 points surrendered through an unrelenting playoff march.  But to sustain that championship run required a more flexible, soft-pedaled tact, I thought, at least in some situations and with some players.  A CEO who succeeds at starting up or turning around a company through a hard-nosed approach has to shift gears over time, and focus more on balancing and reconciling multiple, perhaps competing stakeholder interests.  Ditka didn't adapt.

Ditka is an unrivaled winner

My second reaction was more measured and thoughtful, as I decided to research the matter.

Ditka's winning percentage of .631 over 11 seasons (1982 - 1992) makes him the unrivaled winningest Bears Head Coach in the post-George Halas era.  That's to the present season with Lovie Smith, sports fans!  Even Papa Bear's record in his fourth stint at the helm (1958 - 1967) fell short of Iron Mike's at .588.

So anyone can call Ditka any name, but 'loser' cannot be one of them. 

Jim McMahon was the starting QB, and played in more games than any other backup, in the three seasons after their Super Bowl.  The Punky QB was often injured, unfortunately, and never seemed to regain the magic touch he had in the run-up to the Super Bowl.

So the Doug Flutie bit that Dent focused on was, at worst, a blip on the radar.  Hardly anything that could be pinned on Da Coach.

Ditka led the Bears to seven playoff appearances during his stint, and the team had the following regular season records:

1. 1984 - 1985 (10 - 6)
2. 1985 - 1986 (15 - 1)
3. 1986 - 1987 (14 - 2)
4. 1987 - 1988 (11 - 4)
5. 1988 - 1989 (12 - 4)
6. 1990 - 1991 (11 - 5) 
7. 1991 - 1992 (11 - 5)

You see, they were indeed poised to win multiple Super Bowls.  Instead, they came away with a positively mediocre .500 record in these post-seasons:  6 - 6.

Choke job in the playoffs

Ah, there's the rub.

There are teams, maybe just certain players, who are beasts during the regular season, but are more like lame ducks in the playoffs.  They struggle to show up, or they simply choke!  Think:  Greg Maddox, Chicago Cubs.  Think:  Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (cf. his brother Eli).  Think more recently, way premature playoff exits for top teams (2011 - 2012):  Greenbay Packers (football), Vancouver Canucks (hockey), and Chicago Bulls (basketball).

Only athletes and coaches can speak directly to this, while the rest of us can only imagine it.  Playoffs aren't  just more intense, more physical, more daunting than the regular season.  But they say it's a different atmosphere altogether.  Almost like an altered sport that requires athletes to perform with an even more ungodly fortitude, discipline and skill.   

A friend on Facebook reminded me that defensive genius, Buddy Ryan, and Mike Ditka were feuding through their Super Bowl run.  Apparently Ditka was none too happy, when the players hoisted Ryan on their shoulders as well, after their defensive clamp-down of the Patriots.  Maybe that was a reason for the Bears' one-and-done, as Ryan fled for Philadelphia in 1986 and with him the vaunted 46 defense.  

Many reasons for the Bears' one-and-done

We may never know the exact reason for it, actually.  But here are some points I am certain about:

• No one reason accounted for it, but multiple reasons.
• It was team failure to show up, when it mattered most. 
• It is patently unfair to pin this on Ditka, as Dent just did.

But for one magical season, the Chicago Bears - characters and all - gave us fans the thrill of a lifetime!

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Sources for my facts and figures are below.  I invite my readers to correct anything I got wrong.

List of Chicago Bears Seasons
List of Chicago Bears Head Coaches
List of Chicago Bears Starting QBs

Bears Jay Cutler Suffers from Type 1 Diabetes

Right after a dominant win over the Colts in the first game of the season, the Chicago Bears hit the wall against the Packers.  The defense held their own relatively well in the 23-10 loss, but the offense tanked and QB Jay Cutler spent most of the game on the turf.  Packers linebacker, Clay Matthews, effectively made mince meat of his counterpart on the Bears offensive line, J'Marcus Webb, and got to Cutler probably more often than his own mother. 

The poor QB was not at all a happy camper, and berated his hapless tackle on Thursday-night national TV.  What got football circles buzzing angrily, though, was his shoulder bump against the much bigger Webb.  His apparent reluctance to apologize afterwards only kept him in the neighborhood of villainy.

In the heat of the game, every athlete and coach know that this sort of thing can happen.  At the end of the day, it's no big deal.  It's better, of course, if the particular combatants kiss and make up privately, and little else has to be disclosed to the media.

Importance of team engagement

There is superb research by Gallup on employee engagement.  Organizations do what they can to promote motivation and commitment, as this makes for a high-performing culture and a highly satisfying milieu for everyone.  In particular, Gallup found that safety incidents diminish, the stronger the bond among the staff.  Why?  Because colleagues who feel that kinship look out for, and take care of, each other.  So for Cutler's sake, I hope he did make lovey-dovey with Webb sometime afterwards.   

That Thursday night loss and incident receded from the limelight well enough, as the Bears beat their opponents in the three games since.

Still, since Cutler's arrival to Chicago, the favor he curries even with us Bears fans waxes and wanes because of his attitude and behavior.  My sister and I were texting each other, while watching the Redskins-Vikings game last week, and she wondered why Cutler couldn't play like Robert Griffin III.  I quipped, "RG3 is a stud, Cutler is a dork (lol)."

Cutler suffers from diabetes

Then a reader commented on a Peter King article in Sports Illustrated that Cutler had Type 1 Diabetes.  He pointed out that stress can result in mood swings, like anger and irritability, in those who suffer from this condition.  I didn't know that, and it stands to reason that diabetes could account for part of what Cutler does on the field.  The condition doesn't excuse his behavior, but it offers an additional explanation.

I scoped out more information on Cutler, and I saw that this was a serious condition and that it both shocked and relieved him when he was finally diagnosed.  Here he was on Larry King Live, where he related his efforts to help children suffering from the same thing: 

That same reader above acknowledged that Cutler may very well be a jerk, but seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt.  I thought, good point, but reasoned that his personality probably accounts more for his behavior than his condition does.  One, I trust that the Bears' training and medical staff have his diabetes under control.  Two, he isn't exactly the most gracious athlete in the media, and few people are likely to characterize his personality as winsome.

But I tell you what, in finding out more about him, I came to appreciate him better.  Apparently he's eschewed endorsement deals, in order to dedicate himself to playing football and helping the Bears win a championship. 

That's cool, I like hearing that!

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

Ron Villejo, PhD

Here are more references on Cutler, diabetes, and athletics:

Jay Cutler's Journey with Diabetes
MH Spotlight:  Diabetes-Beat the Blitz
Management of Competitive Athletes with Diabetes