Chicago Bears: What Marc Trestman Must Do to Be Successful in Chicago

In 2006, Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears were down in Miami competing for a Super Bowl. At that point, the team looked like it would only go up from there.

Now, just six seasons later, the team is facing an overhaul, with lots of new faces in Chicago getting ready for next season.

Smith couldn't beat Green Bay and he couldn't make the playoffs consistently, which lead to his firing and why he is currently without a coaching job in the NFL.

Now, the Bears have moved on from 2006 and the Lovie Smith Era, placing their faith and trust in Marc Trestman, a quarterbacks guru who has been all around the NCAA, NFL and CFL, carrying his teachings and winning ways with him wherever he goes.

And yet, there seems to be a lot of uncertainty in the city of Chicago right now.

While he may have won two Grey Cup championships in the Canadian Football League, the NFL is an entirely different game than the CFL, and it's up to Trestman to make the switch right away and hit the ground running with the Bears.

There are five things that Trestman needs to really focus on during his first season in Chicago to have success and keep the fans happy. Those five things can be found right here.

Focus on Jay Cutler, but Don't Shut Everyone Else out

It's no secret that Cutler and Trestman are excited to get to work, and that's the way it should be.

When he was hired Trestman said regarding Cutler, "I can't wait to get my hands on him" (via ProFootballTalk.com).

Finally, someone is taking an interest in Cutler and trying to develop the offense to become the high-powered scoring machine that the Bears have seen glimpses of for years now. 

But Trestman must be careful how he approaches the offense in Chicago, or things could get out of hand fast.

He has made it known that he will be calling the offensive plays in Chicago, but he needs to be careful that he doesn't focus too much on Cutler and not the rest of the offense.

Trestman has worked with some of the best quarterbacks in the game, but he is no longer just a quarterbacks coach and needs to pay attention to the rest of the offense as well. 

There are some big personalities on the offensive side of the ball in Chicago, and some big-name players who need attention and work just like Cutler does.

Trestman has every right to be excited to work with Cutler, but he needs to use caution when approaching the rest of the offense.  

Let Devin Hester Know He's Welcome in Chicago, but His Soap Opera Isn't

Perhaps one of the biggest stories for the Chicago Bears this offseason will be Devin Hester, who's future in Chicago is very much in question right now.

After the firing of Lovie Smith, Hester came out in the media and didn't try to hide his frustration or anger towards the Bears and their organization, saying that he was contemplating retirement and had been for two or so years.

After special teams coach Dave Toub decided to leave the team and go coach with Andy Reid in Kansas City, it is looking more and more like Hester will not be in Chicago next season.

Yesterday, Hester backed off his retirement talk, but did say, "At the same time, I think I do need a fresh start" (via the Chicago Tribune).

And yet, as of right now, he is still a member of the Chicago Bears.

Hester is without a doubt one of the greatest return specialists to ever play the game of football, but has had some trouble finding the end zone as of late. He didn't score a single return touchdown last season, and scored just one as a wide receiver.

That being said, it's not time to give up on Hester just yet. 

Maybe he does need a change of scenery. Maybe he needs a fresh start with a new coach who will take more of an interest in him and will work with him to figure a way out of this slump. And maybe Marc Trestman and Joe DeCamillis are those coaches who can give him a fresh start.

Hester can still work out in Chicago, and Trestman needs to let him know that. However, he needs to know that he won't be able to run to the media and cry about retirement whenever he's upset. If he's going to be in Chicago, he and Trestman need to meet and work things out.

It may be a long shot, but it's worth trying to keep Hester in a Bears uniform if the coaches believe they can return him to his former glory.

Focus on Offense, but Don't Neglect the Defense

Lovie Smith built a defense in Chicago that struck fear into the heart of its opponents, shattering team and league records all the way to the end of his time with the Bears.

That being said, the offense struggled a bit under his regime.

To fix that problem, general manager Phil Emery and the Bears went out and got an offensive-minded coach in Marc Trestman, who is going to be working closely with the offense, calling plays and personally mentoring Jay Cutler to try and fix what is broken in Chicago.

Trestman must use caution, though, because too much attention in one area leads to bad things. Just ask the currently unemployed Smith.

While the Bears will look to improve on offense and there is no doubt that's where the focus needs to be, there still needs to be some attention paid to the other side of the football as well.

Brian Urlacher told ESPN Chicago 1000 that "Chicago is my home...I want to be there and hopefully we can work something out..." (h/t ESPN.com).

The fans would love to see Urlacher back, and having him in Chicago would drastically help the team's chances of winning. While focus needs to be on Cutler right now, Trestman must also deal with Urlacher and the aging defense that Smith left for him.

Bears fans are hoping Trestman pays attention to the offense and fixes it, but be careful what you wish for. Too much of a good thing almost always leads to something bad.

Understand the Rivalry Between Green Bay and Chicago

Aaron Rodgers is perhaps the most beloved quarterback in all of football, unless you're a Chicago Bears fan.

The Bears and Packers do not simply have a dislike for one another. This rivalry goes much deeper than that. 

Every Bears fan remembers shutting out Brett Favre at home, and what Packers fan would forget beating the Bears in Chicago to win the NFC Championship game just a few seasons ago?

The rivalry between these two teams goes deeper than any other rivalry in the game of football, and that is something that Marc Trestman must grasp right away.

Lovie Smith did that for quite some time. At the beginning of his tenure, he was a Packer killer, beating Green Bay almost every chance his Bears got.

As time went on, however, the power in the division shifted, and the Packers became the ones who were beating the Bears year in and year out, with no end in sight for Bears fans.

Smith made beating Green Bay one of his top priorities, and it worked for quite some time. After that, however, it became just another game to Smith, and his team played as such.

Trestman must know that these games are not taken lightly. Every fan, player, coach and even front office members circle two dates on their calendar the second the NFL releases the schedules for next season; the dates when the Bears and Packers will be going head to head that year. 

There is nothing light about this rivalry, and Trestman needs to understand that, when he plays the Green Bay Packers, it won't be just another game. If he has a hard time beating Green Bay, his time in Chicago may be short lived.

On the flip side, if he figures out how to beat Mike McCarthy's Packers, and silence the fans from Wisconsin, Trestman may just find himself being praised as a hero in the city of Chicago. The choice is up to him.

Win over the Veterans on the Team, Who Are Still Loyal to Lovie Smith

When Lovie Smith's job was in question, lots of players on the team weren't quiet about who they wanted to see as the head coach of the Bears next season. 

Brandon Marshall, who was one of five Bears voted to the Pro Bowl this season, told the Chicago Sun-Times, "...If it was up to me, I don't want another coach. I'd run through a brick wall for him, and that's the same way with every other guy in the locker room."

Pretty strong words for a man who only played one season for Smith.

Running back Matt Forte said that he would "run through a steel wall for [Smith]," adding "He's a great coach" (via the Chicago Sun-Times).

Devin Hester contemplated retirement the day Smith was let go. Clearly, the players weren't the ones who wanted Smith out of Chicago.

The face of the matter is, however, that Smith is gone, and that Marc Trestman is the new coach of the Bears, whether the players wanted him there or not. That being said, it's now Trestman's job to build a close relationship with his players just like Smith did.

Trestman understands what he's coming into, and that the players did not want to see Smith ousted in Chicago. Those same players that wanted Smith, though, are the ones that will be the keys to Trestman's success with the Bears, and it's important that he build a good relationship with those players who never wanted to see their old coach leave.

When a player and a coach have a strong bond, there is nothing that can break it and the entire team benefits from the great relationship the coach has with his players. If Trestman takes the time to help these NFL vets, and works with them to win a Super Bowl, they may be talking about running through brick and steel walls for him next.