Five 2012 Games Marc Trestman Must Watch

Now that Marc Trestman has the job of coaching the Chicago Bears, he has a load of work to do.

One of his first tasks is assessing what he has -- and what he doesn't have -- in the Bears. He should look at these five Bears games to get the best view of the season.

The Bears' 10-6 record won't be easy to improve on, but Trestman can do it by seeing what the Bears did well, where they fell apart, and where they just barely lost.

Green Bay 21 Chicago 13, Dec. 16: The Packers may have lost in the playoffs, but they're still the best team in the division. Trestman, who has been out of the NFL since 2004, needs to know them backwards and forwards. In this game, Trestman can see how the Bears' offense couldn't find a rhythm, and how an effective pass rush couldn't slow down Aaron Rodgers.

Houston 13, Chicago 6, Nov. 11: Chicago was riding a win streak and had a national audience to show off for. The Bears needed a big win over another hot team to prove they were real. Instead, they couldn't stop Arian Foster, and they couldn't get in the end zone despite Brandon Marshall's 107 yards.

Bears 51, Titans 20, Nov. 4: When Trestman wants to see what his defense is capable of, this is what he needs to watch. Brian Urlacher and Corey Wootton both scored. The Titans turned the ball over five times, and the punters were barely used. At the same time, it's also a game where J'Marcus Webb gave up a safety by being penalized in the end zone, so there's plenty for Trestman to learn from the tape.

San Francisco 32, Chicago 7, Nov. 19: Even though Trestman has proven to be skilled at helping quarterbacks and limiting sacks, there's still a chance that Jay Cutler won't play a full season. This game --- this terrible, terrible game -- will help Trestman understand how the Bears fell apart without Cutler. 

Minnesota 21, Chicago 14, Dec. 9: If the Bears would have won this game and made the playoffs, it's likely Trestman wouldn't have this job. But he does, and he should watch this game to see what happens when the Bears' offense waits too long to find a rhythm. It will also be a class on what Adrian Peterson can do to the Bears' defense.

Copyright FREEL - NBC Local Media
Contact Us