Bears know this loss not easy to forget
It might be more pleasant for the Bears to erase Monday night’s game from their collective memory, but it doesn’t work that way.
“No, you have to watch it and take the things that you didn’t do well and address those things,” defensive end Israel Idonije said. “It’s a short week, so you have to put in another tough week of work and be able to face another tough opponent. The best way to get over it is to just keep playing.”
The Bears host the Vikings Sunday and the NFC North foe will no doubt go to school on how the 49ers stymied the Bears on both sides of the ball.
“The things we didn’t do well,” Idonije said, “they’re going to have those in their package.”
Still undetermined:Knowing he still has to pass a battery of tests before he can be cleared for practice, quarterback Jay Cutler said he isn#146;t sure if he will be ready to face the Minnesota Vikings.Speaking on ESPN Radio#146;s weekly #147;Jay Cutler Show,#148; Cutler told co-hosts Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman that he#146;s feeling #147;as normal as can be#148; and will play again this season. But he #147;can#146;t say for sure#148; he#146;ll be ready for Sunday#146;s game at Soldier Field.Cutler said he met Monday with the doctor and still has some #147;hoops to jump through.#148;Not comfortable now:Wide receiver Brandon Marshall insists the Bears did not get comfortable after their 7-1 start, which has been followed by back-to-back losses. #147;Absolutely not,#148; Marshall said. #147;I have never been on a team that works harder #151; coaches and players. There is no complacency. It seems like every time we win a game, we work a little bit harder.#148;Now they have to win another game.#147;We just have to get better, especially on the offensive side of the ball,#148; Marshall said. #147;That starts with the leaders. Me being one of the guys, I have to be better. I#146;m going to look at things at my end to see how I can do a better job of helping my team out.#148; How#146;d they win 7?Coach Lovie Smith didn#146;t offer a compelling reason when asked why he thought the beleaguered offensive line would improve.#147;It has to,#148; Smith said. #147;Because we won seven games with that offensive line, that#146;s why. You have to look at the big picture. We have played better, and that#146;s what makes me think we will play better. We#146;ve been able to block guys, we#146;ve pass protected and of course with the run.#148; Going backward:Devin Hester had a net of minus-1 yards on 3 punt returns, including a minus-9 yard return late in the third quarter. But that was just one of several negative plays in all three phases.#147;It was very frustrating,#148; Hester said. #147;We didn#146;t come to play, plain and simple, and it showed. Those guys wanted it more than us. They gave 100-percent effort, and we didn#146;t, and it showed.#148;Hester singled himself out as well.#147;All I can say is that I have to get better,#148; he said. #147;I have to get better at my situation and the things that I do.#148;Major mismatch:Offensive left tackle Gabe Carimi and right tackle J#146;Marcus Webb combined to make the 49ers Aldon Smith look like the best pass rusher in NFL history during Smith#146;s 5 frac12;-sack outing.#147;Very disappointing,#148; Carimi said. #147;I feel like I had better in me. I know my play wasn#146;t where I wanted it to be in order for us to win.#148; Ÿ Associated Press contributed to this report.