Trestman On Benching Of Cutler: 'Jay's In A Little Bit Of A Batting Slump'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - Asked what recently named starting quarterback Jimmy Clausen can do for the Chicago Bears that former starter Jay Cutler could not, head coach Marc Trestman said the Bears just needed a change.
Heading into Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, the Bears have lost three straight and have a record of 5-9.
"Certainly it's not all about Jay," Trestman said. "It's about our entire offense not having played on a consistent basis, and everybody's accountable for that, starting with me. We're looking to get a little better play at the quarterback position, and giving Jay a break and giving Jimmy an opportunity may give us a spark.
"I just think that right now Jay's in a little bit of a batting slump," Trestman added. "It hasn't worked for him, and it hasn't been all about him, but it hasn't worked for us at that position on a consistent basis, and it certainly didn't the other day. Jimmy's well schooled in the offense, he's practiced well when he's had the opportunity to, and he may give us a spark. Who knows? We're not sure, but I think it was a good time to take a look."
Clausen has played sparingly this season as a backup and has not played as a starter since he played 13 games in 2010 with the Carolina Panthers. He struggled there, throwing three touchdowns and nine interceptions over that span.
"He's certainly had the game experience under a lot of adversity at Carolina when he played and stuck it out and showed mental and physical toughness," Trestman said. "He's kind of rebuilt himself, his throwing motion, he had his shoulder fixed and is working his way back in. Had a good camp and has practiced well, so we'll give him a shot on Sunday. Obviously a heck of an opportunity for him personally but a hell of challenge, certainly, heck of a challenge personally against what we all consider the best defense in the National Football League."
Trestman said he made the decision to bench Cutler as a result of the loss on Monday.
"I wasn't going to do it after our two wins, certainly, and we went into Detroit, we were in a competitive game for the first half, we went to Dallas the following night, we were in a competitive game again into the third quarter and scored 21 in the fourth, and I thought that might have been a spark, but on Monday night we just didn't get good enough play out of the quarterback position," Trestman said, "and that's where it all starts.
"Jay will be our backup, and if the time comes that we decide to put him in, we will," Trestman added. "We're hoping Jimmy can carry us and have a good day."
The Lions have been dominant on defense this season, and they defeated the Bears, 34-17, on Thanksgiving Day. Trestman knows the team is in for a challenge.
"We don't have to talk about how good they are defensively at all three levels of their defense because they're tremendous, but [Clausen]'ll go out and compete, and he's just got to worry about executing his part of it," Trestman said. "It's not all up to him. It's up to all of them."