McCown disappointed by team’s preparation last week

Josh McCown blamed the Bears’ slow start last Sunday in part on a lack of preparation.

“We’ve just got to be a little bit more tuned in Friday through Sunday,” said the Bears’ backup QB. “There was a disconnect, and it’s not coaches, it’s players. We’ve got to study more. When we get these first few plays, we have to go there and execute them better than we did opening that Baltimore game.”

Coach Marc Trestman said that players are always encouraged to get on their iPads and study more but that will be stressed more.

“On Saturday morning we give them the plays,” he said. “They know exactly what we’re going to start with during the game, and we hold them all accountable for being on top of those things.

“It’s something that’s constantly stressed by assistant coaches (and) myself during the last 48 hours before the game. ‘Don’t get bored with your game plans. Don’t get bored with plays. Visualize them. Walk through them. Talk through them. Do whatever you have to do to get ready.’”

Last week was the first time in five games and just the second time all season the Bears didn’t score in the first quarter.

“There’s nothing that we give them that they shouldn’t be able to run and execute,” Trestman said. “We can’t let that happen again. We can get beat physically, but we can’t get beat because we don’t know what we’re doing.”

Declining production:

In his first six games as a Bear, tight end Martellus Bennett caught 31 passes for 349 yards. In the last four he’s got just 11 receptions for 120 yards.

Bennett has left no doubt that he’d be happier if he were more involved in the passing game. Offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer is the wrong guy to complain to, but he says Bennett’s role hasn’t changed.

“Martellus was brought in to block and catch passes, and there are some games he catches more than others,” Kromer said. “When he isn’t catching passes, you’ll hear it. So I just tell him to go block another run play.

“But no, he’s done a nice job. And when there’s an opportunity to throw him the ball, we do. And when he’s covered, we don’t. We’ve called plenty of plays in his direction, targeting him and he’s been covered by the coverage that’s at hand, so we just throw it to somebody else.”

Bennett remains on pace for 67 receptions, 750 yards and 7 touchdowns, all of which would be career bests.

Still getting better:

By hitting 19 of 20 field-goal attempts this season, Robbie Gould has become the second-most-accurate kicker in NFL history at 86.3 percent, trailing only Mike Vanderjagt at 86.5.

Last week he went 3-for-3 in sloppy conditions, including the game-winner in overtime, but special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis wasn’t concerned.

“The last thing I was worried about was (him) making the kick,” DeCamillis said. “When you have that guy, that’s a nice thing to have, no question. We worried about the protection, we were worried about everything else, the new snapper (Jeremy Cain) obviously, but he did a great job and won the game.”

Rest is best:

The Rams should have the freshness edge coming off their bye, so Bears coaches have taken measures to help their player get extra rest this week.

“We’ve made an emphasis this week of having them not come in on Monday, telling them to stay off their feet, stay at home, rest, study tape on their iPad, but don’t get up,” offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer said. “And then we cut practice this week, (cut) some reps, to try to get our guys as fresh as we can.”

Friday’s practice was just 58 minutes.

Comfort level:

Coach Marc Trestman says there was no break-in period with backup quarterback Josh McCown after he took over following Jay Cutler’s first injury in Week 7.

“I’ve been comfortable with him from the beginning,” Trestman said. “We just keep going along. We’re working at it every day, trying to focus on things we can get better at and continue to progress and get the offense in a position to have more success on Sunday, so it’s good.”

Finnegan done:

The Rams placed Pro Bowl cornerback Cortland Finnegan on season-ending injured reserve Saturday with an eye injury.