There is plenty of blame to go around in
Chicago.
Quarterback Jay Cutler, coach Marc Trestman, defensive coordinator
Mel Tucker, general manager Phil Emery ... take your pick. Just
understand Jim McMahon, Mike Ditka, Buddy Ryan and Jerry Vainisi
aren't coming through the door at Halas Hall to fix things.
The reeling Bears will try to halt a three-game losing streak and
win for the first time at Soldier Field this season when they host
the improving Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
"This has been a very disturbing stretch of three weeks," Trestman
understated. "There's no doubt about it. But we're focused in and
the only way we can work our way out of this is to go get ready for
Minnesota."
Trestman is in charge of a team that suffered a 51-23 loss to New
England prior to its bye week on Oct. 26 and came back from the
break even worse, surrendering 55 to Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay on
"Sunday Night Football" in Week 10.
In doing do the Bears became the first team since the 1923
Rochester Jeffersons to allow 50 points or more in consecutive
games. They've also allowed their opponents to hit the half-century
mark three times in 11 games, after doing it only six times overall
in the previous 93 years.
"We're not a very good football team right now," Trestman said.
"The level of play is not anywhere near where it needs to be and it
starts with me."
Observers looking for an easy scapegoat have focused on Tucker but
Trestman has stuck by his defensive chief for now.
"(Mel) is doing everything he can under the circumstances to coach,
to teach and to lead that side of the ball, and he's got a very
good staff with him," Trestman said.
Chicago has lost three straight and five of six overall, the latest
of which was a 55-14 drubbing at the hands of its biggest rival
during a national television showcase.
Rodgers threw all of his six touchdown passes in the first half,
tying the Packers franchise record for touchdown passes in a game.
The All-Pro finished with 315 yards on 18-of-27 passing and matched
the NFL record for most TD passes in 30 minutes of football, which
was originally set by Oakland's Daryle Lamonica in 1969.
Cutler completed 22-of-37 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown and
two interceptions in the setback while Brandon Marshall had eight
catches for 112 yards and a score despite suffering a left ankle
sprain. Chris Williams also returned a kickoff 101 yards for a
touchdown for Chicago.
The Vikings, meanwhile, won two straight before their bye week,
including a heart-stopping 29-26 win over Washington back on Nov. 2.
Matt Asiata finished that game with just 26 rushing yards on 10
carries but his third touchdown of the contest proved to be the
difference. Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went 26-for-42 for
268 yards with a touchdown for Minnesota.
"It was a great team victory and I'm really proud of the ways the
guys fought," said Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer. "I feel like our
team really grew up today in a lot of ways. We went down a couple
of times, and kept fighting and fighting and it paid off."
The Vikings lead their all-time series with the Bears by a 54-50-2
margin but have dropped six straight in Chicago dating back to Oct.
14, 2007.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The Bears probably aren't allowing 50 points here simple because
Bridgewater is a rookie going through the understandable growing
pains and Minnesota remains without Adrian Peterson, who is still
sidelined after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor reckless
assault charge last week.
That doesn't mean the Vikings can't do some damage though.
Chicago's defense is allowing a league-high 30.8 points per game
and ranks 28th against in the NFL against the pass, surrendering
268.6 yards per game.
Bridgewater, meanwhile, is starting to "get it," leading Minnesota
to back-to- back fourth-quarter comebacks before the bye.
"I think we showed some resiliency there," Zimmer said. "I think
our team grew up a little bit."
Without Peterson the Vikings have relied on rookie speedster Jerick
McKinnon, who leads all rookies in rushing with 446 yards and ranks
sixth in the NFL at 5.0 yards per carry. When Minnesota gets inside
the red zone, it turns to the tackle-busting Asiata, who has nine
rushing TDs since Week 15 of last season, second in the league over
that span.
Bridgewater could also be getting talented tight end tight end Kyle
Rudolph back. The ex-Notre Dame star has missed the previous six
games following sports hernia surgery.
"That's up to coach Zimmer and Sugs (trainer Eric Sugarman),"
Rudolph said of returning. "I'm excited to be back. I'm excited to
do what I can to help this team win and stay on a roll."
The main issue for Chicago's D has been the pass rush and
ex-Vikings All-Pro Jared Allen has been a disappointment after
signing a big-money free agent deal in the offseason. Allen, of the
league's most prolific pass rushers while in Minnesota, has just 1
1/2 sacks and has been slowed by injury and illness.
"It's not like we don't have talent," Allen said on a conference
call. "We went, home opener on the road against the 49ers and were
able to come back from 17 down. It's in us."
Allen has a chance to be revitalized this week because Vikings left
tackle Matt Kalil is having a poor season, Bridgewater will hold
onto the football longer than he should at times, and the veteran
will likely bring an extra gear to show up his old 'mates.
"I think from what I've seen so far, (Kalil's) firing off well in
the run game. He's been beat a few times in the pass game but, you
know, who doesn't get beat a few times?" Allen said. "He's a good
player, he still has good technique We're going to have to take
advantage of situations because he knows me, I know him and we'll
have to see whose technique is better Sunday."
Under Zimmer the Vikings have been one of the most improved teams
defensively. Minnesota is fourth in all of football against the
pass thanks to a ferocious rush that has produced 20 sacks over the
last four games.
Athletic defensive end Everson Griffen, Allen's replacement, is the
ringleader there with a career-high nine sacks. Griffen has
recorded a sack in five consecutive games and has seven overall
over that span.
Overall, the Vikings defense ranks ninth, allowing 316.4 yards per
game and is sixth best at forcing three-and-outs.
Conversely Cutler has been responsible for 15 turnovers and has
been sacked 23 times.
"I think the biggest thing is that Jay has got to play better,"
Trestman admitted. "He didn't play well enough (against Green Bay)
and I'm certain that he'd take accountability for that."
Marshall expects to play despite the injury suffered against the
Packers.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
Sometimes this game is all about confidence and little else.
Cutler and the Bears always lose to Rodgers and the Packers and
arrived in Green Bay shoulders slumped, expecting to lose.
Conversely, Mr. Cavallari has won six of his past seven starts
against the Vikings and always beats them in the Second City.
Figure on the Bears stopping the bleeding here, if only for one
week.
"Through any career you have adversity," Trestman said. "When those
times come you have to embrace it and move forward and be
resilient, and that's what we're trying to do collectively and
individually."
Today's game with the Bears and the Vikings can be heard on Newstalk 1060 with the
Pre-Game Show at 11:30.
