Note to the McCaskey family, Ted Phillips and perhaps Phil Emery…

The rest of the 2014 Chicago Bears season should come with the same on-screen disclaimer as televised mediums: for entertainment purposes only. Nothing taking place over these coming four games – three to be played at Soldier Field – should be used to validate the efforts of the current coaching staff or inspire confidence in a crop of under-performing players. These games have no meaning. None. Zero.

Even if the Bears were to miraculously run the table, beating three well-quarterbacked teams competing for the postseason, this organization can’t insult their fan base by delivering vapid banalities like “the team rallied together” or “they fought to the very end” or “Coach Trestman never lost the confidence of his locker room.” After several mid-season embarrassments, Trestman and his coaching staff had an opportunity in Detroit to prove the team had rallied. The Bears had a chance to show their coaching staff confidence and competitive fight by performing against the Lions and providing meaningful football in the month of December. They failed.

Fans can excuse losing in the name of development. They can even excuse losing tight, hard-fought contests. They can not and should not excuse the noncompetitive nature of Marc Trestman’s Chicago Bears.

Is there anything to be gleaned from the final four games of this disastrous campaign? No. The Bears won’t learn about their young corners or defensive tackles or offensive linemen by seeing them operate on the current landscape. One can be comfortable assuming a coaching regime change will feature an offense and defense not reminiscent of the current systems. Play the kids, absolutely. But don’t read too much into their work.

Hopefully the Bears will provide 12 hours of decent entertainment in the month of December but there is no reason to believe that will be the case. This team hasn’t just been terrible throughout 2014. They’ve been boring. Maybe they’ll be able to provide a memory or two by knocking the Cowboys or Lions out of the playoffs. An Edinger kicks Wayne Fontes home moment. Maybe they won’t.

One thing is clear. The only positive development possible for the Bears in the next five weeks would be the announcement they are looking for a new head coach.