Robert Zeglinski, November 14th, 2014
I’m going to change it up here a little bit.
Instead of focusing on the fantastic successes of good football teams with great game plans and talent, I’m going to start a weekly small Eulogy series leading up to the playoffs giving eulogies to those dysfunctional teams with expectations that fell apart, and others that just aren’t in the January mix.
We begin with those hibernating Chicago Bears and there’s all the point in the world to go off on a complete novel tangent here (I really want to).
Here is your eulogy for the 2014 Chicago Bears season:
Let’s start off by being that stat guy and throw some things in for reference;
Maybe the Bears aren’t that historical proud franchise as we hear so often. The “tradition” was established long before NFL relevancy.
Ever since good ol’ Brett Favre started his first game against these Bears, the Green Bay Packers are 34-13 in their last 47 games versus Chicago. Obviously that coincides with having two Hall of Fame caliber quarterbacks, but we’ll get back to this with more in a second.
In the last 21 years (this year included, I’m not getting ahead of myself). the Bears have made the playoffs 5 times. Just for frame of reference since they are the primary “rival”, Green Bay has only missed the playoffs 5 times in that same span (that number’s not changing this year).
In the last 51 years (since 1963, an NFL title not Super Bowl, for the Bears), the Bears have only had 14 playoff appearances, 27 losing seasons, and 1 Super Bowl with a team that should have had more (Ditka is idolized for what again?).
In the paraphrased thoughts of the always classy Paul Pierce in reference to his old basketball team the Celtics against the Knicks, “they have to actually beat us to be our rival”.
That’s the exact situation the Bears face and have had thrown into their face with Green Bay for a long time.
One thing is clear, the proud “tradition” of a franchise has not existed for a very long time. Expectations notwithstanding, things can always change, but the pattern is hard to break out of.
Those expectations are always mounted when an unknowledgeable fan base idealizes a team that while yes was fantastic, won a Super Bowl OVER 30 years ago (Not a typo). It’s as if both the fan base and the organization haven’t moved from the glory days seeing the results of the past.
And yes the team was great but only in that SINGLE season. The greatest teams of all time had dynasties. Yes call it blasphemy if you want, coming from one of the biggest Bears fans you can imagine, but the 1985 Bears were not that great (I’ve had time to stew on this too).
So it’s time we stop idolizing them any time a modern era Bears team starts playing well, and inevitably the comparisons begin.
(End 1985 tangent here)
This year in relation to that fact, the Bears were expected to be a playoff team. A team that could have (key word, could) won 10-12 games and was considered a preseason chic Super Bowl contender pick.
Who could blame anyone with those thoughts? (*smacks self repeatedly over and over)
After retaining an offense that was 2nd in the league in scoring with all 11 starters and the same “innovative” (HA) system of head coach Marc Trestman, the Bears were supposed to make the jump to consistent Saints level offense contender status.
A patchwork defense of 2013, added “big” (mistakes) free agents, Lamarr Houston, Ryan Mundy, and Jared Allen. So in theory, an offense that could build a lead, would then have a pass rushing good front on defense closing the game out.
All of the plans were set in motion for a good run. Win One for Virginia! (what a crock) was the mantra.
None of those plans have come to fruition as the Bears have set an time NFL record for futility by being the first team since the Rochester Jeffersons in 1923 to allow back to back 50 point games. 1923. 91 years.
Furthermore, in the last 11 games of the Marc Trestman era, the Bears have allowed 50 points 3 times. Before that, they had never done it in over 759 games! Regardless of the mediocrity, that further record points to a level of pride this franchise has at least always had.
I’m not so sure about that anymore with the 3 worst losses in franchise history coming in the modern era.
That’s not an understatement.
As the Bears flounder at 3-6 yet again into irrelevancy, it’s fair to wonder if this is the worst Bears team ever. Yes the worst ever.
I’ve talked with older fans who said the 70’s were unbearable and absolutely awful teams (looking at the stats of those years…..MAN I AGREE), however I can’t shake the feeling of this team.
The sentiment I’ve gotten is that those teams were awful talent wise but at least grinded and competed 60 minutes every Sunday. There weren’t any expectations for them to perform well and they were expected to be bad.
Whatever the issue is with the 2014 Chicago Bears, no one knows. But SOME of the pieces are there as the Bears are no where near a complete team.
So if you’re a Bear fan (Am I talking to myself here? Not sure.),
Who do you blame?
Jay Cutler? I can buy that.
A man who came with a high price in draft picks in 2009, has never quite lived up to the expectations.
He came here to rival Aaron Rodgers and Rodgers and the Packers are 12-1 since Cutler as a starter since. He’s turnover prone. He shows poor mechanics after poor mechanics and still makes the same bad decisions.
After having some of the worst offensive lines ever assembled in his first few years here, where he basically improvised most of the Bears offense, the team rebuilt the offense around him, and gave him the talent. Yet, the mistakes and off rhythm play continue. A championship caliber quarterback does not need to throw 50 touchdowns. He however has to play within the game plan and not turn the ball over.
With 15 turnovers this season (Tied for the league lead) that’s something Jay Cutler simply isn’t capable of. I used to defend Cutler, but he’s not the answer, he just isn’t. And his attitude doesn’t matter if he plays well, but he doesn’t so take that for what you will. I await what offseason plans await him in the coming firestorm of this season for the Bears. (TRADE PLEASE!)
Further down the line, Marc Trestman?
Sure. He’s supposed to be the head coach. The leader of the team that keeps everything in order in the locker room and all of his players on the same page. The man who is supposed to instill some kind of winning personality, attitude, and significant game plan into his men.
Yeah about that, Trestman has lost his team. Whether it’s leniency to allow players to take days off (Lance Briggs) or not addressing locker room outbursts (Brandon Marshall), he just doesn’t have a handle of the psyche of his team as he’s let everything spiral out of control. As his team is shellshocked, he continues to insinuate his team is practicing very well, so is he in denial of what’s happening?
You practice how you play is the old saying in sports, and well with the Bears…..you know…..
If we refer to further stats, the offensive “guru” Trestman has had the Bears slip to 20th in scoring, and 9th in offensive yards. The Bears offense has not been on the same page all year, and while yes Cutler is Cutler, it’s Trestman’s job to manage some kind of success to get all of this together as the league figures him out.
Lovie Smith and Mike Ditka were both 11-14 in their first 25 games as Bears head coaches just like Trestman, yet they never seemed to allow their teams to be this pathetic. They’re teams never quit on them and both guys also made the playoffs in their 2nd year.
Completely different circumstances for Trestman and barring a miraculous 7-0 run to end the season and playoff berth, the man has shown to be in over his head here. In my mind he has to be accountable, with his job, but hey, I guess that’s why I’m not the GM here.
AND speaking of one so called GM, Mr. Phil Emery. It will have been 4 years removed from the Jerry Angelo era at the end of December. The man has had time to craft this franchise into his image so to me there are no excuses of no playoff berths.
Yes, he’s certainly brought in the offensive talent. Alshon Jeffery, Brandon Marshall, Kyle Long, Matt Slauson, Jermon Bushrod are all fantastic acquisitions through free agency or the draft.
But that defense. The great defense of the Lovie Smith era is long gone as that defense wore thin with age and was never quite rebuilt the right way.
I mentioned the “band aids” earlier. Instead of outright building through the draft and obtaining impact players, GM’s of this franchise have made a habit to make panic moves and push all of their chips when it’s not needed?
What was the point of giving Jared Allen who looks OLD, 10 million per year or the overrated Lammar Houston 7.5 million?
Why resign Tim Jennings and Brandon Marshall to big extensions when both look like shells of their former elite selves? (I think the crappiness level of the team has brought at least these two’s performance down).
The Bears have brought in plenty more players than that too. In fact of the 53 man roster, 31 are outside acquisitions or free agents, by far the highest number in the NFL. Homegrown talent does not exist here.
Emery threw around money instead of patience and we have the results, a dysfunctional team that isn’t unified in time of crisis. In contrast, because I have to, the Packers have 5 free agents of the 53, the least amount in the NFL. Green Bay knows football continuity (UGH)
A model franchise, huh?
Model point being here, everyone is to blame.
Most of the organizational failure of the past half century points to bad drafting, bad readjustments to the modern era, and bad luck with “franchise” quarterbacks. When Jay Cutler is your best quarterback ever, that’s a problem. (Sad times).
The Bears have the young talent in place in pieces. Truth is, this team actually was a ways away from winning in 2014. Emery and Co. just tried to rush the process and raise expectations, and now you get this dumpster fire.
When you have no young impact players on the front seven (Fuller in the secondary is a great piece), you’re not going to be a good defense. You need a few more good drafts to be in position talent wise on all sides of the ball.
Again, that being said, it doesn’t excuse Emery’s lack of patience and recklessness, Trestman’s lack of confidence and leadership, and Cutler being Cutler.
If I was in charge, all 3 would not be involved with the Chicago Bears next season, and another big trio would have a chance to take the helm draft wise with the young pieces we already have. That would be the kind of radical change needed to jumpstart this franchise back into the pre-1963 level (GET A YOUNG QUARTERBACK).
However I get the feeling that won’t happen. Maybe 1 loses their job at the end of the season (Take your pick) but it’s likely Chicago’s hitched onto these 3 for at least next season, and at that point, if this poor embarrassment continues, I think only Cutler and Trestman lose their jobs. Emery will likely have his chance at another head coach, and I guess we’ll have to see if that’s a mistake or not. He’s been the best of the 3 (not saying much) a 2014 rushed offseason not withstanding.
Emery would get another chance that for the record I am opposed to, but not as much compared to the mediocrity of the other two.
For now though. For this 2014 humiliating playoff-less season, you will always be remembered but repressed deep into the back of the mind of every Bears fan for fear of humiliation.
Rest In Peace.
-Robert Zeglinski
Robert Zeglinski is an aspiring sportswriter who absolutely loves all the nitty gritty that comes with pro sports. He is currently attending Aurora University in Illinois. You can follow him on Twitter at @ZigZags82 or reach him through email (robertpoduski@gmail.com) for questions or feedback.
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