No finger-pointing by Bears defense
Based on the last four games, the Bears’ defense probably could sue the offense for nonsupport. But there hasn’t been any finger pointing — at least not in public.
“We’re not concerned about what the offense is doing,” defensive end Julius Peppers said. “We’ve got to play better ourselves.”
The Bears have lost the time-of-possession battle in each of the four games since Jay Cutler was injured, but the defense is more worried about its own problems than those of the offense.
“We can’t let it get to us,” linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “Our mindset is go back out there and take the ball away for our offense.
“When (opponents) take the ball away on the 20-yard line going in, we just have to make them kick a field goal or take the ball away. That’s all we can do.
“We can’t worry about what happens on offense. We have to go out there and make some plays, give them the ball in good field position for a change. We haven’t done that in a long time.”
The defense has just 5 take-aways in the past four games after getting 15 in the previous four games.
Not his time: There#146;s a lot of interest in seeing what rookie quarterback Nathan Enderle can do in a regular-season game, but offensive coordinator Mike Martz said there#146;s a legitimate reason why veteran Josh McCown makes more sense against the Green Bay Packers.#147;I think Nate#146;s got quite a future,#148; Martz said. #147;The problem with Nate is that, (since) Caleb (Hanie) didn#146;t have a preseason a year ago because he got injured, we spent all our time with Caleb in the (2011) preseason. So Nate didn#146;t get a whole lot of work. #147;It#146;s just too much of an unknown right now. We#146;re trying to win, so he#146;ll have his time I#146;m sure.#148;Looking ahead:First-round draft pick Gabe Carimi will have a long road back to the playing field after he has his second knee surgery to stabilize the knee cap he partially dislocated in the second game of the season.But offensive line coach Mike Tice believes the wait will be worth it.#147;When he got hurt in New Orleans, I felt he was playing as good of football as anyone we had,#148; Tice said. #147;We#146;ll bring him along slowly and build the confidence back in that leg and then pencil him right in there.#148;Carimi is expected to step back in next year and reclaim the right-tackle spot.#147;That would be big for us to get him back,#148; Tice said. #147;It#146;s like getting a new toy. You lose him that early in the season and he never returns, that#146;s a big hole to fill.#148;In Carimi#146;s absence, guard Lance Louis was forced outside to fill in.#147;Lance has had some moments that I#146;m sure he wanted back,#148; Tice said. #147;But he#146;s held down the fort admirably, being that, as I have said all along, he#146;s an inside player.#148;Bigger concerns:Pro Bowl voting will be announced Tuesday, but coach Lovie Smith isn#146;t all that concerned with individual honors at this point in the season.#147;That#146;s a pretty low priority for us right now, and even for me,#148; he said. #147;I haven#146;t looked at it #8212; I know our staff and the team voted for it, (but) I can#146;t even talk on it.#147;There are a lot of guys having good seasons right now. We have Pro Bowl players on our football team, but it would be hard for me #133; it wouldn#146;t be fair to name them. I#146;m pretty biased, too. I#146;ll go (along) with what everybody else said.#148;