I think the inside info, if true, is positive news for Lovie's dismissal. If the Detroit game doesn't matter, that's good news. I can't imagine Lovie keeping his job after missing the playoffs again.
I know anything can happen in the playoffs, but this isn't a playoff team. They just haven't played competitively with the top teams lately, and they have a banged up Urlacher, Forte, Melton and Conte. So saying the decision is made is a decision barring a SB win, but that is so unlikely an outcome it wasn't considered.
Phillips said Lovie was guaranteed for a year, not for his contract. Usually, a new GM gets to pick their HC, so sticking him with Lovie for one year, and one year only would be terms that Emery probably would agree to. I can't imagine they told Emery he can't make the decision until Lovie's contract is over, I don't think a GM would get involved in that type of situation.
On the flip side, they did say they wanted a GM compatible with Lovie when they hired Emery, but if the FO is that sold on Lovie why no extension?
The idea was to give Lovie some more weapons on offense, try somebody other than Martz, and let Lovie run with this aging defense one more time and see how it went. The roster was talented enough to make a playoff run, so they stuck with Lovie as their best playoff hope. While I didn't like it, the defense is so built for his system I can see them giving it one more try, and it kept them from eating 2 years of his contract.
Problem is, even adding Marshall and Jeffrey, the offense arguably got worse. Tice isn't an OC, and it goes down as another failed coordinator under Lovie. When the bears fell apart mid-season and the offense failed to improve over the year, it was groundhog day for the Bears and I believe the decision was made.
Lovie and Tice rubber stamped this O-line in the offseason, as well as the TE depth chart, and it arguably cost the Bears a deep playoff run. Carimi has given up 6.5 sacks and 5 holds this season. 9 sacks and 2 holds for J-Webb, as well as countless stunts that went around him.
We have seen this time and time again. Enough is enough.
