GENE CHAMBERLAIN
Associated Press
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — If the Chicago Bears are coming apart as a team within the locker room, it’s news to coach Marc Trestman.
An emotional postgame locker room scene following Sunday’s 27-14 loss to Miami featured players yelling and wide receiver Brandon Marshall calling the 3-4 start to the season “unacceptable.” That had the Bears coach on Monday calling the situation similar to what he’s seen in numerous other locker room situations.
“I think our team is very much together,” Trestman said.
Some reports said the relationship between Marshall and quarterback Jay Cutler had been strained, while others said Marshall was yelling at kicker Robbie Gould, among others.
“I told our team after the game in the locker room, just as I’m telling you (the media) is that we have to always be accepting of how people express themselves after a game,” Trestman said. “They’re coming down from a week of working hard and building their emotions and passions for the game. And I’m not reading anymore into it than that, and we have to be accepting and non-judgmental and let it pass.
“That’s the way I’ve handled athletes who get into that state. It’s not the first time, it’s not the first locker room it’s ever happened in. I’m not reading any more into it than that.”
Players backed up Trestman’s assessment. Defensive end Willie Young called it common for his former team, the Detroit Lions, to express themselves in a similar way after games.
“Some guys handle things different, and that’s OK,” added tackle Jermon Bushrod. “But at the end of the day, we have to come together for the common cause.
“We have to stick together more than ever now because we lost another game. We lost another game at home, which is unfortunate.”
The Bears are 3-4 at home, but 0-3 at Soldier Field, and two games behind the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in the NFC North. Trestman sought to sweep the incidents away as the Bears get set for a road game at New England, their last before a bye week.
“I think in my experience people get it out of their system, got couple days to get some rest and they’re back to work on Wednesday,” he said. “And I’ve heard it in wins as much. I’ve heard players express themselves dramatically in wins, too, that they were angry that we didn’t win the right way or that we weren’t as good as we can be.
“It goes both ways, I’m not reading anymore into it than that.”
Following Sunday’s game, Marshall seemed anything but angry at Cutler when asked about the team’s situation by reporters.
“Jay’s a gunslinger, Jay’s our guy, Jay’s our leader,” Marshall said. “Listen, we have to do a better job.
“This is unacceptable. It’s unacceptable. Unacceptable.”
Cutler went 21 for 34 for 190 yards with a touchdown pass, an interception and a lost fumble. The two turnovers led to Miami points. He did target Marshall 10 times, with six catches for 48 yards.
Trestman seemed satisfied there is nothing wrong between his passer and top receiver.
“They’ve been around each other a long time,” Trestman said. “I think there’s a brotherly love involved in their relationship. That’s how I see it.”
Trestman’s assessment of the interception indicated Cutler deserved the blame.
“I think Jay said it, he made a high throw,” Trestman said. “He didn’t see the corner and made a high throw, and the ball wound up being intercepted.”
If the Bears are moving forward together, they could be doing it without cornerback Kyle Fuller for a while. He suffered a hip pointer and a broken hand Sunday, and Sherrick McManis finished the game at right cornerback.
“He went out of the game because of his hip more than his hand, so we’ll just see where he is,” Trestman said. “He said he felt good today, but it’ll be day to day. I don’t know that the hand will deter him.”
Trestman said Fuller’s hand injury would not require surgery.
The Bears were without starting free safety Chris Conte due to a shoulder injury, and linebacker Lance Briggs with a rib injury on Sunday. Both are day to day and will be assessed Wednesday.
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