Adam L. Jahns speculates that defensive coordinator Mel Tucker may be on the hot seat:
“The number of injuries and the caliber of players lost to them have been colossal detriments, causing Tucker to change his practices so the rookies get more instruction and work on fundamentals. And it’s not as though Tucker can race out on the field, get in position, fill gaps and make tackles himself.
“With the defense due for a makeover because of all the expiring contracts, Tucker might get a second chance to really put his stamp on the defense by abandoning all things Lovie.”
I have liked Tucker ever since I watched a fundamentally sound Jaguars defense make the Bears work for every yard last year (until they finally wore down after being hung out to dry by an incompetent offense). But there’s no denying that performances like Sunday’s shine him and the entire defensive coaching staff in a bad light. The only rookie on that field was Jonathan Bostic at middle linebacker and he (relatively speaking) didn’t play that badly. It was the veterans, who were supposed to carry this defense, who let him down.
Tucker catered to those veterans by keeping the defensive scheme from last year, including the language, intact. Those veterans have now, in my opinion, lost the right to such consideration.
My suggestion would be that if Tucker is going to lose his job, that he lose it in his own way, not compromising for a bunch of players who have done nothing but disappoint. The Bears should give Tucker a fair opportunity to succeed by implementing the defensive scheme that he prefers and the one that he feels most comfortable running in the off-season, not what they think will make the Bears defensive players comfortable. Perhaps something a little less comfortable will cause them to concentrate a little better on what they are doing out on the field.