Injuries to key Bears keep piling up

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - A serious injury situation worsened Sunday night for the Bears.

Coach Marc Trestman provided a glimpse into his thinking regarding injuries, when he was faced with a host of injury-related decisions in the days before the 49ers game.

Center Roberto Garza and guard Matt Slauson were ruled out on Friday with sprained ankles, while Trestman hinted that wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery would be game-time decisions. Both were active after going through pregame warm-ups and then huddling with coaches and trainers.

"Everything is a player-by-player decision," Trestman said. "The No. 1 thing I want to be sure of is that the player is healthy enough to play the game and can be safe out there.

"It's a collective decision between the trainers, the doctors and how a player feels. And (it's) the experience of a player to know whether or not he can get the job done."

The injury situation got worse Sunday night.

Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Charles Tillman suffered what could be a season-ending triceps injury, the same injury that ended his 2013 season after eight games.

In addition, defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff was evaluated for a concussion late in the third quarter and did not return. In the first half, safety Chris Conte (shoulder), cornerback Sherrick McManis (quad) and defensive end Trevor Scott (foot) all suffered injuries and did not return.

Different strokes:

At 31, Jay Cutler is widely considered to be in prime position to fulfill the expectations that he has often fallen short of in the past, but coach Marc Trestman said that it's difficult to predict when a quarterback will peak.

"They're all on their own journey," Trestman said. "When you watched Josh (McCown) play last year, can you say he really looked like a 35-year-old quarterback? I don't think any of us would say that."

McCown enjoyed the best season of his career in 2013 with the Bears, posting a 109.0 passer rating with 13 TD passes and just 1 interception.

"I didn't coach Steve Young at 29," Trestman said,"but he didn't start until he was 29. (Rich) Gannon was (just) getting started at 33. I think each quarterback's on his own journey. Their development and where they are as part of the game is determined by the teams they're with, the coaches they're with, the quarterbacks they're playing behind.

"I think they're all independent of each other, and it's how a quarterback takes care of his body, the kind of condition he's in. Jay at 31 is in tremendous condition, physically and mentally, in terms of handling the game."

Cutler's 89.2 passer rating last season was the best of his career. His career mark was 84.6 entering the season.

"He doesn't appear to be deterred or slowed down in any way," Trestman said. "He's quick in his decision-making; he's quick-minded. He easily assimilates offenses and game plans."

Against the Niners, Cutler and the offense struggled for most of an ugly first half, but his 25-yard run and 17-yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall kept the Bears in the game. Early in the fourth quarter, Cutler went back to Marshall for a five-yard TD pass, cutting their deficit to 20-14.

Sitting it out:

Sunday's inactives were wide receiver Josh Morgan (groin), linebacker Khaseem Greene, center Roberto Garza (ankle), guard Matt Slauson (ankle), offensive tackle Charles Leno and defensive ends Davis Bass and Cornelius Washington.

Brian de la Puente started in place of Garza, and rookie Michael Ola stepped in for Slauson, just as they did in the second half last week after the injuries.

Making it a priority:

In light of Ray Rice's suspension and the Carolina Panthers' deactivating defensive end Greg Hardy on Sunday, both as a response to domestic violence against women, coach Marc Trestman said the importance of the issue has not been lost on the Bears.

"This is ongoing, and it has been ongoing with our football team - the messaging of respect and holding everybody in high regard and being respectful to women, not only with our words, but with our actions," Trestman said. "That's something that we talk about over a long course of time, not something that we've just begun to talk about here.

"We're not perfect, but we do try to make sure that it's not just a one-time (thing), and then we don't talk about those things anymore. Those are important messages that have to be brought up periodically."