LeGere: Bears' DeCamillis focused on Saints

Even in the dog days of a disappointing season, with the playoffs no longer a possibility, special-teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis says the concept of "mailing it in" is foreign among coaches.

"You just make it to the next day and you go," said DeCamillis, who is in his 26th season as an NFL coach.

"It's not like I'm going home Wednesday any earlier than I did when we were still in it. None of the coaches (are). That's football; that's how it is."

DeCamillis began his NFL coaching career in 1989, working for father-in-law Dan Reeves, who was the Denver Broncos' head coach. The Bears are DeCamillis' sixth NFL team.

"People say they quit and stuff, but I've never seen that in the NFL," DeCamillis said. "I've never seen a coach that is in a situation like we are pack it in. I just don't think it's part of your mentality.

"My father-in-law would absolutely kick me in the butt if I did that, so I'm worried about him, and I don't want to disappoint anybody, so I keep working."

Along with every other Bears coach, including head coach Marc Trestman, DeCamillis' job security is shaky at best. Tuning that out and focusing on the present is part of the job.

"This is the business we've chosen," DeCamillis said. "You have to keep slugging away and keep making it a day-to-day situation. You can't worry about what the future holds, and I'm not.

"We're here to win every single game and play hard every single play, and that's what we have to get across to our players. When you do your life's work, you want to be good at (it). And when you're not good at your life's work, then it gets you disheartened.

"But you don't quit. You keep slugging and you keep trying to box your way out of it, and that's what I'm going to do."

Double standard:

According to coach Marc Trestman, there's a decided difference between offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer commenting negatively about quarterback Jay Cutler to one reporter and wide receiver Brandon Marshall doing the same thing on a radio show.

"I was clearly disappointed with Aaron, and he understands that," Trestman said. "Aaron clearly knows what he did was wrong and inappropriate under the circumstances."

Marshall said that, as a businessman, he would have buyer's remorse about Cutler's $126.7 million contract.

"That's a whole separate issue," Trestman said. "We understand Brandon and how much he loves this football team.

"There's no doubt about it. And I know how much he loves Jay and the way they are with each other, and what they mean to each other and to the future of our football team."

Coming and going:

Rookie quarterback David Fales was promoted to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, and linebacker Darryl Sharpton was placed on injured reserve after sitting out the previous five games with a hamstring injury.

The promotion of Fales has more to do with protecting him from being signed off the practice squad by another team than getting him a late-season audition.

The sixth-round (183rd overall) draft pick out of San Jose State started 25 games and completed 639 of 938 passes (68.1 percent) for 8,382 yards, 66 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.

Sharpton, a five-year veteran who played his first four seasons with the Houston Texans, had 27 tackles while starting one game for the Bears and playing in five.

Injury update:

Safety Chris Conte (back) did not practice and is doubtful for Monday night.

Defensive linemen Jeremiah Ratliff (knee) and Cornelius Washington (ankle) also did not practice but are questionable, as are kicker Robbie Gould (right quadriceps) and offensive lineman Michael Ola (back), who were limited at practice.

Two starters for the Saints, offensive left tackle Terron Armstead (neck) and linebacker Junior Galette, were limited and are questionable.