Imrem: Fox has no answers as Bears losses mount

Now we know why head coach John Fox doesn't reveal much about the Bears.

He doesn't have much to reveal.

Fox certainly doesn't appear to have any answers as the questions and Bears' losses mount.

Sunday's third straight defeat was a 38-17 whipping at Minnesota as opposed to the mostly close ticklers the Bears suffered on the way to a 5-9 record.

"Penalties, sacks, interceptions … " quarterback Jay Cutler said. "It doesn't matter who we played today, we weren't going to beat anybody the way we played."

One of the pressing issues now is that while the Bears progressed against the Packers from Week 1 to Week 12, they regressed against the Vikings from Week 8 to Week 15.

"Other teams want it more than we want it," linebacker Pernell McPhee said.

Ouch! ... That doesn't speak well of the coaching, does it?

For much of this season, Fox and his staff looked like medicine men who had all the cures for all the Bears' ills.

Not so much lately.

"We just haven't improved," Fox said, as if that explained anything.

Listen, it's clear that the Bears are at a talent deficit against most teams, especially ones like the Vikings.

So any time the Bears stumbled upon a victory, it looked like Fox, offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio outsmarted the opposition.

Against the Vikings, Gase's offense was inept when it still mattered.

The Bears were missing injured players, yes, but the Vikings played without their three best defenders.

"They had some guys banged up," Cutler said, "but they still played sound defense."

How did that happen, Mr. Fox?

Fangio reputedly is one of the NFL's best defensive coordinators but the Bears are tackling like they prefer not to.

If Minnesota quarterback Teddy Bridgewater makes the Hall of Fame, this game could be remembered as the springboard.

Why is that, coach?

While he's at it - or not at it - Fox might want to explain why the Bears aren't motivated to arrive for the opening kickoff.

Minnesota ended the first quarter holding edges of 7-0 in points, 8-0 in first downs, 134-10 in total yards and 10 minutes-5 minutes in time of possession.

Bears' penalties cost them a chance to score on their first possession and enabled the Vikings to score on theirs.

"We're going to keep marching forward," Fox said, "and find guys who can be part of our core going forward."

Fox, in his first season as Bears' coach, will remain the leader of the core. The question is whether he is the elite coach that the Bears invested its future in or just another guy with a problem managing the game clock?

Don't answer that last one, coach, even if you want to, which, of course, you don't.

These questions actually need to be asked of general manager Ryan Pace, who not only hired Fox but is responsible for providing him with a better roster.

Fox is the point man, however, the face of the franchise that meets with the media several times every week.

It was sort of cute for Fox to be vague when the Bears were 5-6, in playoff contention and trending upward.

The Bears no longer are letting their play address questions for Fox.

We'll have to address them instead, which doesn't figure to be flattering toward the head coach who has no answers.

mimrem@dailyherald.com