Marc Trestman believes he'll be retained as head coach of the Chicago Bears in 2015, despite a last-place finish in the NFC North and a 5-11 record in his second season with the team.
Marc Trestman expects to return as Bears’ head coach
Trestman believes that he will be back with the Bears in 2015 after a 5-11 season in 2014.
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Bears finished the year on a five-game losing streak, including a loss in the regular-season finale Sunday. Following the 13-9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17, Trestman told reporters he believes his job with the team is safe for another season.
“I don’t have to go into the reasons that I expect to be back,” he said. “I couldn’t look at it any other way or with any other kind of focus. My plan is to continue to finalize my notes now that the season is over and make sure that if the opportunity arises, I’ll be able to explain how we fix this thing. Because we have to get better.”
If Trestman is retained for another season it would likely be because the coach was able to convince Bears' ownership and team management that the scapegoat of the disappointing season was quarterback Jay Cutler.
Expect #Bears coach Marc Trestman to make a strong case to save his job. Among arguments are higher passer ratings for QBs not named Cutler
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 29, 2014 No NFL quarterback threw more interceptions than Cutler in 2014 (18), and Trestman even benched the highly-paid passer in December in favor of Jimmy Clausen, although a concussion for Clausen forced Cutler back in to the lineup. While Cutler finished the year with a career-best completion percentage (66.0) and the most touchdown passes in his career (28), the amount of costly mistakes was too high.
Clausen's passer rating wasn't higher than Cutler's, but in one start, the former Carolina Panthers bust tallied 181 passing yards, two touchdown passes and just one interception, which came on a fourth-and-10 Hail Mary at the end of the game.
In 2013, it was Josh McCown who looked very functional in Trestman's offense before leaving to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. McCown started five games and finished the year with 13 touchdowns, one interception and a 109.0 passer rating, while Cutler finished with 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and an 89.2 rating.
Trestman is expected to meet with team chairman George McCaskey Monday to discuss the 2014 season and learn his fate for 2015.
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