The Bernstein Brief: Bears' Open Secret Revealed
By Dan Bernstein-
Editor's note: Always full of thoughts, Dan will start sharing a few more quick hits with you every week in The Bernstein Brief. Consider it a morning thought that may evolve. As always, tune into the Boers and Bernstein Show at 1 p.m. to hear more.
(CBS) When ownership has to say the coach is in charge, it's a good sign he isn't.
"I think Marc is fully in control of this team," Bears chairman George McCaskey told Comcast SportsNet on Wednesday, referencing coach Marc Trestman.
Most everyone else has thought otherwise for some time, and now the Bears must respond to a blistering CBSSports.com report by Jason LaCanfora that describes a "toxic environment" in the locker room. He notes a "leadership void" on Trestman's team, exacerbated by "increased in-fighting" by offensive players, and says "numerous sources pointed to a lack of leadership and accountability."
This has been an open secret for weeks, going all the way back to training camp. The Bears have been in denial mode internally as well as publicly, watching a season's promise eroded by their series of choices to cede real power to an insouciant quarterback and a con-man wide receiver.
There will be more questions, and there are no good answers.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Boers and Bernstein Show" in afternoon drive. Follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.