Cutler downplays latest sideline incident
Offensive coordinator Mike Tice is scheduled to talk to the media this afternoon, and it will be interesting to hear what he thinks about quarterback Jay Cutler walking away from him on the sidelines in the first half Monday night.
Bears coordinators are available to the media just once a week, and not after games.
Cutler downplayed the incident, which looked disrespectful at best when shown on national TV and replayed numerous times afterward. Cutler was on the bench, Tice came over and sat next to him and started to speak, but the quarterback immediately got up and walked away.
“It’s not anything,” Cutler said. “I don’t have to sit by him the whole game, do I?”
Asked if he was upset at that point in the game, Cutler said: “No. What are we looking for here?
“We can’t read into everything. I get (that) you guys gotta sell papers; it’s tough out there. You can’t blow up every headline. Things happen during football games. Just because I walk off and get water doesn’t mean much.”
It might to Tice.
Right on schedule:Nickel cornerback D.J. Moore, who had 1 of the 5 interceptions Monday night, paid tribute to the defensive line. It only sacked Tony Romo once but hurried him frequently.#147;With our defensive line, they gotta pump it out,#148; Moore said, #147;and once the ball#146;s in the air, we can all break on it.#148;It was Moore#146;s first pick of the season, but he#146;s not conceding the team lead to Tim Jennings, who has 4.#147;I#146;m just trying to get as many as I can,#148; said Moore, who had 4 in each of the past two seasons. #147;My goal is 8, so I think I#146;m close right now.#148;It was pointed out to the ultra-confident Moore that he#146;s not on pace for 8.#147;Oh no,#148; he said, #147;as long as we#146;ve got more than eight games left, I#146;m on schedule.#148;Even though he only plays in passing situations, Moore had 10 tackles vs. the Cowboys, just 1 less than safety Chris Conte, the team leader.#147;I didn#146;t think I was going to get (an interception),#148; he said. #147;I#146;m like, man, I#146;m tackling like a fool. But, if I don#146;t get one and we win, I#146;m fine with that. As long as we win and keep the coaches off our backs, I#146;m good.#148;A step forward:Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware had 19frac12; sacks last season and 4 in the first three games, but Bears left tackle J#146;Marcus Webb kept him at bay for most of Monday night. Ware got 1 more sack against the Bears, but quarterback Jay Cutler deserves as much blame for that as does the beleaguered left tackle. Ware took an outside rush, and Webb rode him way wide of and behind the pocket. But Cutler held the ball stepped up in the pocket and the relentless Ware finally got to him, forcing a fumble.#147;Better technique, better use of hands,#148; Webb said in self-evaluation. #147;I usually get myself in trouble when I don#146;t do those things. So just to go out there and attack felt really good.#147;Definitely made some mistakes, it#146;s never going to be a perfect game, but just to go out there and be physical and keep working and keep fighting and stuff, that#146;s the goal. Progress is good.#148;Lending a hand:In addition to his NFL-best 4 interceptions, cornerback Tim Jennings has deflected 3 other passes that teammates wound up pilfering, including Major Wright#146;s first of 2 picks Monday night.#147;I look at it like it shoulda been 7 picks,#148; Jennings said, laughing. #147;I was in good position, but I wasn#146;t able to get both hands on the ball, so I just wanted to deflect it. Good thing Major was in the right position to make the play.#148;If the NFL had a statistic for assists on interceptions, Jennings might lead the league in that, as well.#148;They do it in basketball, count it as an assist, so we should do it in football,#148; Jennings joked. #147;I#146;d rather come up with those turnovers myself, but all our guys are running to the football and we#146;re all making plays.#148;FBN40002636Cornerback D.J. Moore tackles Cowboys tight end Jason Witten in MondayÂ’s 34-18 Bears victory. Moore picked off his first pass of the season and finished with 10 tackles.Associated PressFBN