Bears' Emery: 'We deserve the criticism'

Bears general manager Phil Emery and coach Marc Trestman have accurately identified the problems facing their underachieving team, which has lost four of its last five games.

But the big question is whether their plan to resurrect a 3-5 team has any chance to succeed.

The problem with that plan, as it was detailed in a lengthy news conference at Halas Hall Monday afternoon, is that it relies on the same players and coaches who have contributed to a colossal underachievement so far.

"We are what our record states," Emery admitted. "The NFL's about winning games, and we deserve the criticism that we have and should have (received) from that record.

"I'm extremely disappointed where we're at as a football team, and that starts with being extremely disappointed for our fans.

"We've let them down. We understand and share their frustrations and clearly understand our failures at this point. We're responsible for our current record, and that responsibility starts with me."

Trestman stressed the need to improve the team's minus-3 turnover/take-away margin, the balancing of the run-pass mix in offensive play-calling, getting individual players in more advantageous matchups on the field and better special teams play.

Those are all areas of improvement. But the belief that there are players on the roster who can make those improvements requires a leap of faith for anyone who's watched the first eight games.

Trestman cites positive performances in the Bears' three victories, but two of those wins came against the 1-7 Jets and the 2-6 Falcons. Emery insists no one is giving up and that the answers will be found.

"The only way we're going to get back on track is to learn from our mistakes, correct our errors, find solutions and stick together as a team through this process," the Bears' GM said.

"We will not quit on the season. We will not quit on ourselves. We're not going to quit on each other.

"The first step is to win a football game."

At least for now, all members of Trestman's staff appear safe, although another 3-5 rerun in the second half of the season will assuredly bring about a purge.

Asked specifically about possible changes on his staff, Trestman said: "We have everybody in position right here. We feel we have the foundation to build from here, and that's the next step."

When they return for a full-pads practice next Monday, the offense, and quarterback Jay Cutler specifically, will face the same questions they have failed to answer in the first eight weeks.

Emery said Cutler's performance, including 8 interceptions and 4 lost fumbles, has been no better or worse than the team's.

"Obviously we're a 3-5 team, and he's a 3-5 quarterback right now," Emery said. "There are a lot of things he's got to get better at; there are a lot of things we've got to get better at.

"In terms of (Cutler) protecting the football ... some of them are just situations, a guy coming from a blind side. But obviously you have to keep the ball up and away."

There may not be anyone on the offense with more room for improvement than wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who is on pace for his worst season as a starter after catching 3 passes for 35 yards despite being targeted 10 times Sunday.

"Brandon has never been a speed receiver," Emery said. "He's been a physical, tough, high-point ball catcher. Run after the catch. Dynamic with the ball in his hands. He's a guy who's a leverage mismatch. That's the receiver he is. So do we have to gain consistency with him on that way? Yes, we do."

Marshall has averaged just 11.3 yards on his 34 catches, which would be the second lowest of his career.

Defensively, the Bears have been better than last year,

when they had the NFL's worst run defense and allowed the most points in franchise history. But given the off-season investment in free agents and draft picks, that improvement has been unimpressive.

Emery was asked what identity he had in mind while investing roughly $64 million in free-agent defensive ends Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young and drafting cornerback Kyle Fuller, defensive tackles Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton and safety Brock Vereen in the first four rounds.

"Physical up front," Emery said. "When I look at where we're at in terms of pass rush, we're ahead of where we were a year ago. Are we where we were in 2012? Not yet."

Young has enjoyed a career year with 8 sacks. Allen and Houston have combined for 2½.

"Those guys up front were brought in here to control the run, to stop the run and rush the passer. Have we improved against the run? Overall, we have. Are we where we want to be? No, we're not."

The Bears have allowed 22 fewer total yards per game than last season, when they were 30th and are much improved vs. the run. But they've allowed an average of 29 more passing yards per game.

"The solutions to win games are in this building with the people in this building," Emery said.

The Bears will find our how true that is, and how much the time off helped, in two weeks, when they visit Green Bay to face the Packers.

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