The Bears Den: December 17, 2014 - Chicago Bears news & Bears-Saints reaction

Why the Marc Trestman hiring hasn’t worked - Greg Gabriel: The key to long-term success in the NFL is being able to adapt, and the game has changed in the nine years that he was away from the NFL; plus, in part due to not having buy-in from Lovie Smith's former team leaders, the players don’t respect Trestman.

Bears leaving management little choice in fate of Trestman, staff - Moon Mullin: If players have stopped playing for a coach – and the coach can’t see that – then the organization’s decision is being made for it.  Dane: Dan Bernstein: Emery expected to be fired.

10 19 (19!) thoughts - Brad Biggs: Some have clamored for the Bears to play more young players to assess future options, and they are doing so; takeaways from Phil Emery's radio bit on Kromer situation.

Follow WCG on Twitter; like us on Facebook (& click on 'Subscribed to').  Check out David "OSS" Taylor's CheekyMonkeyArt prints and t-shirts.  Den pic in hi-res.

----------
Chicago Bears 15, New Orleans Saints 31

What we learned in loss to Saints - Larry Mayer: As has been the case most of the season, costly turnovers and penalties plagued the Bears in Monday night's loss to the Saints.

Three things we learned about the Bears in Week 15 - Rich Campbell: Bears’ youngsters tune out the dysfunction above them, are at least playing each play with the intention of improving.

Team notes - Rich Campbell: Bears' young back seven needs to apply lessons learned; Brandon Marshall spoke publicly for the first time about last week's drama.

View from the enemy - Michael C. Wright: Questions regarding the Bears' effort continue to surface as the search commences for answers to the club's futility continues.

[Video] ESPN - Jeff Dickerson breaks down the Bears' 31-15 loss to the Saints in Week 15.

[Video] - Adam Hoge breaks down the latest primetime loss to the Saints.

[Video] - Is-Hub Arkush, Not-Hubs Fishbain & Arkush wrap up the Bears' loss to the Saints on Monday night.

Game grades - Brad Biggs: Failed attempt at fake punt just about sums up where Bears season has been and where it's headed.

Game grades - Is-Hub Arkush: Bears-Saints game tape ugly with player and coaches not on same page.

Moon Mullin's game grades: QB - RB - WR/TE - O-line - D-line - LB - DB - STs - coaching.

[Video] ESPN - Michael C. Wright's game ball goes to Pat O'Donnell after the rookie punted six times for a 46.3-yard net average.

Stock watch - Jeff Dickerson: Is Marc Trestman on the way out?

[Video] SportsTalk Live - Was Monday the worst Bears' loss of the year? [KAPCON: 5]

[Audio] - Olin Kreutz reacts to the latest Bears meltdown against the Saints.

[Audio] - Dan Hampton goes off on lack of effort by Bears against Saints.

What really happened with Cutler's presser - Michael C. Wright: Monday night’s situation was more a product of circumstance than anything else.  Ed Sherman: ESPN analysts sack Cutler.

George McCaskey shoved by Saints fan - Michael C. Wright: Bears chairman George McCaskey was involved in an altercation Monday night with a Saints fan during Chicago's 31-15 loss, a team spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

Photos - From ChicagoBears.com: In the locker room ... from the sideline ... photo journal.

[Video] ChicagoBears.com - Jordan Mills was mic'd up Monday night at Soldier Field.

----------
Moving on from coaches, Cutler?

If Marc Trestman was safe before, he shouldn't be now - Eric Edholm: This dark week, capped off by this miserable loss to the Saints, likely spelled the end for Trestman. Forget tradition and change the situation.

[Video] SportsTalk Live - Is the impossible actually happening for the Bears with top-to-bottom change? [Video] Who's in control at Halas Hall? [KAPCON: 5]

[Audio] - Tom Waddle on the state of the Bears, the potential for drastic change on the team, and Jay Cutler's future with Chicago.

Penalty trend points to disintegrating discipline under Trestman - Moon Mullin: The Bears have effectively cost themselves more yardage (862) than Matt Forte has amassed (745) in the best receiving season by a running back in franchise history.

McCaskey needs to clean up this mess, find some real leaders - Rick Telander: How do you buy real-world smarts and passion? The Bears better be shopping.

3 options to fix Bears, from unlikely to unpalatable - Mike Mulligan: If you are locked into keeping Cutler how does hiring another coach and employing another system work any better?

No two ways about it -- Cutler must go - Bob LeGere: Jay Cutler's most recent sub-standard performance Monday night should be more than enough to convince the team to move in another direction as soon as possible.

Cutler doing what he does best - Barry Rozner: Jay Cutler is a very expensive problem for an organization that figured it out too late.

[Video] SportsTalk Live - Would the Bears consider trading Jay Cutler?

----------
Bearsss

Larry Mayer's Chalk Talk - Larry discusses the Bears' 2015 opponents, the last time they didn't score at least 30 points in a game for an entire season, and the most positive development this year.

Lunch With Larry - Q. [Are the Bears underperforming due to] a lack of coaching, leadership, preparation?   LM: Do I have to pick just one?

[Video] ESPN - Jeff Dickerson with the biggest storylines surrounding the Bears heading into Week 16.

10 thoughts - Mark Potash: With Jay Cutler struggling, Jimmy Clausen might be worth a look; despite the seven sacks every Bears O-linemen had a positive rating by PFF; more on the Bears.

Marshall endorses Kromer, wouldn’t mind more kumbaya - Moon Mullin: On his weekly appearance Brandon Marshall depicted Aaron Kromer as a good man that said something he regretted.

[Video] - Robbie Gould discusses the possibility of Bears firing staff, playing for next year, and his current injury.

Bears can breathe easier knowing Kyle Long is in the trenches - Is-Hub Arkush: Few clichés are uttered more by NFL players and coaches than the "game has slowed down," and yet, it’s tough to tell the story of Kyle Long’s immense growth this season without using that cliché.

The return of Marc Mariani - Adam L. Jahns: It’s an opportunity that Mariani has earned and rightfully deserves after infinite hours spent working his way back from one of the most gruesome injuries in recent NFL history.

Photos - ChicagoBears,com wishes a happy 52nd birthday to William "Fridge" Perry. See photos from his career in Chicago.

----------
Ditka

Ditka - Da Coach didn't like what he saw, puts the blame more on the players than coaching.

Check WCGer Sackman's selection of Bears-themed tops here, or some t-shirt designs here.

----------
Polish sausage

...Will return tomorrow.  You can't have Bearsss and Ditka without some Polish sausage.

----------

For Stepeo.