Chicago Bears' OC Gase open for suggestions

Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase is always open to play-calling suggestions from his players - but it depends.

"Depends who it is," Gase said, smiling as he recalled Alshon Jeffery's request for the ball Monday night. "When 17 makes a request, you usually have a pretty good feeling about him making a play on the ball."

One play after Jay Cutler's pass intended for Jeffery was picked off and returned for a touchdown, Jeffery asked for the ball again. On the next play, he and Cutler collaborated for a 47-yard gain.

"There's been a couple times where he's suggested some things we've gotten to, and he's made plays," Gase said. "Marty (Bennett) has made some suggestions that we've gone to, and (they) were really good suggestions.

"I feel like those two guys, they've played a lot of ball, made a lot of plays, so I feel confident when they bring a suggestion to the table. When it's a veteran player, they usually don't mess around with telling you something that's wrong. They're pretty confident something's there."

Jeffery is well known for being a man of few words, but he spoke up when he came to the sideline after the pick-6.

"Anytime you see that fiery competitiveness out of a player, you respect that and honor it," Gase said. "You could feel that he meant what he said to me."

Big brother:

Two-time Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte was asked if he would be motivated to return from his sprained knee against the St. Louis Rams after his rookie replacement, Jeremy Langford, rushed for 72 yards on 18 carries filling in for him in Week 9.

"I just worry about myself, man, and how I play out there," Forte said. "He did a good job. He's in the NFL for a reason, because he has talent."

Langford also caught 3 passes for 70 yards. He has benefited from Forte's tutelage, which the veteran says is part of being a good teammate.

"If I were a rookie, I would want somebody to give me that advice and take me under that wing and do something like that." Forte said of his guidance. "I'm doing my part as a veteran to help somebody become better. He's my teammate in the grand scheme of things, and we want to win the game. So it doesn't matter who's in there."

Keeping it simple:

Tight end Martellus Bennett wasn't overly concerned with the Rams' reputation for playing up to and sometimes beyond the whistle.

"They play to the whistle, but there's a lot of teams that play to the whistle," Bennett said. "Some guys go a little bit beyond, so all you've got to do is match their intensity and bring it.

"It's not rocket science."

Breaking it down:

Jay Cutler's franchise-record 139 touchdown passes as a Bears quarterback have gone to 21 receivers, led by Brandon Marshall (26 touchdowns) and Alshon Jeffery (17).

Next are tight ends Greg Olsen (13) and Martellus Bennett (12). Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox each caught 11 Cutler TD passes, followed by Matt Forte (10) and Kellen Davis and Devin Hester (9).

Devin Aromashodu caught 4 scores from Cutler; Dane Sanzenbacher and Matt Spaeth each had 3. Desmond Clark and Marquess Wilson each have a pair.

Joshua Bellamy, Rashied Davis, Brandon Manumaleuna, Zach Miller, Josh Morgan, Eddie Royal and Roy Williams each had 1 TD catch.