Bears’ Trestman focuses on present
Bears coach Marc Trestman says he won’t spend much time dwelling on the fact that Sunday’s game will be played a couple of long passes away from where he grew up and against the team that gave him his first NFL coaching job.
“(It’s) only because you’re so focused on what you’re doing,” Trestman said. “Certainly I’m appreciative of the opportunity to go back there and be a head coach. I’m appreciative every day of being a head coach.
“But you’re so locked in to your day-to-day preparations, it really doesn’t really matter where that 100-yard field is — it never really matters. You’re going out there to help your guys in any way you can to win the game.”
After four years as a college assistant, Trestman was the running backs coach on Bud Grant’s last Vikings team in 1985. After a year in Tampa and two in Cleveland, Trestman returned to Minnesota as the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach for two years. Not that the fact matters to him.
“The team you’re playing really isn’t significant in terms of what you’re trying to accomplish for your own guys,” he said. “We understand it’s a divisional game. We know it’s on the road, and the stadium’s five minutes from where I grew up, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be doing that. But the emotions, the focus doesn’t get away from doing the job that has to be done on my end.”
The 57-year-old Trestman remembers the Vikings’ first home, Metropolitan Stadium, which opened in 1961 with the expansion team shocking the Bears 37-13. Sunday’s game will be the last Bears appearance at Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, which opened in 1982 and will be demolished after the season. His fondest memory there was his first game as an NFL coach.
“We happened to be playing the world champions, the 49ers; and coach Grant gave this very short speech about what it would take to beat the world champions. We won the game (28-21) in the fourth quarter, with some of the great players and Bill Walsh on the other side of the field.”
Oh, so close:Bears#146; special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis was disappointed that Devin Hester#146;s apparent 62-yard punt-return touchdown was negated by Craig Steltz#146;s holding call Sunday. It would have given Hester the NFL career record for return touchdowns, breaking his tie with Deion Sanders at 19.#147;It was great read on his part,#148; DeCamillis said of Hester. #147;That guy (Steltz) has made so many big blocks for him, it#146;s hard to really be too upset at him. It#146;s a deal where the guy started to fall down, Craig should have let him go. And he has before, he just didn#146;t on that play.#147;(But) we have five more games to get it done, and hopefully we can. The most disappointing thing is, it could have led to more success team wise.#148;Injury report:Quarterback Jay Cutler (ankle) and linebacker Lance Briggs (shoulder) are out for Sunday.Running back Matt Forte (knee), safety Anthony Walters (groin) and cornerback Derrick Martin (hamstring) also did not practice, but coach Marc Trestman remains #147;optimistic#148; that Forte will play. Defensive tackles Stephen Paea (toe) and Jeremiah Ratliff (groin) were limited.For the Vikings, running back Adrian Peterson (groin), cornerback Josh Robinson (chest) and tight end Kyle Rudolph (foot) did not practice. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams (quadriceps) was limited.