Reflections on the Head Coach

Rick Morrissey at the Chicago Sun-Times on the state of the Bears:

“The 6-5 Bears are still tied for first place in the NFC North, thanks to Detroit’s loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday. It doesn’t mean they’re playing well. When you’re down 14-0 less than three minutes into the game and then throw in 10 penalties, you’re not playing well, no matter how Trestman tries to spin it.

“The mellow coach doesn’t do tough love. Fine. How about some semi-tough love?”

I've spend a number of years bashing Lions head coach Jim Schwartz by saying that he is directly responsible for wasting the talent in Detroit both indirectly through his own lack of control and directly through the type of play that he encourages. Every team's personality is a reflection of that of the head coach.

The same goes for Marc Trestman and the Bears. I happen to like Trestman and a lot of what he stands for. But, like Schwartz but (I'm guessing) in a much different way, he is responsible for the lack of discipline the Bears have been displaying on the field.

I honestly don't know what he needs to do. Maybe Morrissey is right and some tough love is in order. A lot depends upon what he is doing wrong and whether he recognizes what that is. Trestman is a smart man who seems to be one for self-evaluation and reflection. Perhaps he, more than most, is equiped to figure it out.

In any case, fans need look no farther than Trestman to see who is going to have to take action.