Chicago Bears’ Coaching Illustrates Lack Of Leadership Not Found With Bulls, Blackhawks

The Chicago Bears are in the middle of a free fall, losing five of their last six games, and giving up 50+ points in two consecutive games. When compared to the Bulls or Blackhawks, you can see a vast difference in coaching styles that illustrate why those teams haven’t had free falls.

More from Chicago Bears

• Chicago Bears quietly compiling list of head coaching candidates
• Next Chicago Bears starting quarterback makes Bowl Game decision
• Chicago Bears appear in the hunt while on track for the first pick
• Chicago Bears: They are who we thought they were
• Chicago Bears Rumors: Kevin Warren to oversee football operations

The Chicago Bears have lost five of their last six games. They have given up 50+ in consecutive games, and three times in their last 11 games. They did that a total of five games in the last 93 years.

Even with all the malaise and bad vibes going around Halas Hall, coach Marc Trestman says there will be no coaching changes. He wants to stick with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, and he certainly wants to stick with quarterback Jay Cutler.

Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com wrote a piece on the Bears’ fall, and why teams like the Chicago Bulls or Chicago Blackhawks would not have these kinds of slides.

Could you imagine for a moment, Tom Thibodeau or Joel Quenneville allowing the things that are happening with the Bears?

Isaacson used the example of Thibodeau benching Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer in fourth quarters of games because their play was not up to par.

Quenneville just recently made his presence be felt. He demoted Brent Seabrook to third line and broke up the pairing of Seabrook and Duncan Keith after Seabrook made a critical mistake in the loss to the Washington Capitals.

“Sometimes you got to do things. You got to make tough decisions. You got to try…[to] get him playing with more confidence.” -Joel Quenneville

The point is that those two coaches are not afraid to make moves when they deal with good and popular players. If their play is down, those two see no problem in taking them out or cutting their play. Once their play gets better, they will be right back in there. Noah became the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year last year and made the All-NBA first team. Boozer did not improve, so he sat more during the fourth quarters, and eventually was amnestied.

Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Seabrook responded by scoring a goal in the Hawks’ win Sunday against the San Jose Sharks. He also said he understood why Quenneville made the move.

Thibodeau’s mantra is “Know your job, do your job.” This is something he says so much those words should be stitched to his forehead. Those words are simple, direct and so true.

Quenneville puts it succinctly. If the moves have to be made for whatever reasons, the coach needs to make them. “Sometimes you got to do things. You got to make tough decisions. You got to try whether it’s motivation, get their attention, whether it’s get more focus out of a guy, get him playing with more confidence… But at the end of the day, we want everybody to be consistent and predictable …”

This is something Trestman is not doing with Cutler. Cutler needs to be benched, if only for a game, and if only to just get his head cleared. He is still a talented quarterback, but his head is getting in the way. In the past, the one thing he could hang his hat on was his ability to find Brandon Marshall. He cannot even do that now. He is messed up right now, and needs some time off.

Trestman does not do that. On Sunday, Cutler will be starting, and he may do well, since they are playing the Minnesota Vikings. Doing well against them won’t

Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

change what is wrong. Just let him see the game from the sidelines so he can get a better picture of what is going on during the game.

This lack of captains is a real sticking point. The team needs established leadership. They need to know that if they have something they can’t talk to the coaching staff about, they can go to the captain.

The captain can also give struggling players a swift kick in the ass when needed. Sometimes, when coaches do it, players don’t take it the same. They need it from a player just like them.

The Blackhawks have Jonathan Toews. He leads by example in the locker room and on the ice. He also checks in with the players daily, to see how things are.

The Bulls have Noah. Noah is the hardest working player in the NBA, and he holds himself accountable when he is off. When he got benched by Thibodeau, he did not sulk. He went to work and got it going again. Noah is a big reason the Bulls stuck together through TWO devastating Derrick Rose knee injuries.

Toews and Noah are players their teammates rally around. The Bears don’t have that. Look at the veteran “leaders.” Lance Briggs has admitted this is probably (now definitely) his last year in Chicago. He also admitted that he’s tuned out the coaches. Is this a guy the team should rally around?

Trestman needs to seize control of this team. Football is filled with ferocious Type-A personalities, and if you can’t show you can stand up with and to them, they will devour you, and that appears to be happening with the Bears’ players and Trestman.