National Football League

Bears DB criticizes Cutler over shove

Published Sep. 18, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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Seven sacks. Four interceptions. Shoving one of his offensive linemen.

Jay Cutler's last game was one the Chicago quarterback probably would rather forget. With the Bears preparing for Sunday's home game against the St. Louis Rams, most of his teammates tried to put Cutler's shove of left tackle J'Marcus Webb and his critical postgame comments in the past.

Most, but not all.

''It's just wrong, though, honestly,'' defensive back D.J. Moore said. ''I would feel the same kind of way if he was to do me like that. It would make it seem like, well, the reason I'm having a bad game is because it's what you're doing and not me taking accountability for myself because I'm throwing these type of passes or doing this type of read. So it's just a tough situation.''

The Bears lost to Green Bay 23-10 on Thursday. Cutler appeared upset over a lack of pass blocking when he shoved Webb, who declined to comment on the situation as he left the practice field Monday. Cutler did not talk with reporters.

Right tackle Gabe Carimi called it ''overblown.'' He said he was standing near Webb and saw the incident.

''Honestly it was barely a shove, so I don't think I would have even recognized until it was brought up on media,'' Carimi said.

Cutler looked great in the season-opening blowout of the Colts, finding new wideout Brandon Marshall often. But the Packers befuddled him and the Bears never got going in Green Bay.

Moore acknowledged quarterbacks have more leeway in terms of being critical due to their leadership role.

''But when you act like that, though, with your own teammates on the sideline, it's just something different that you normally wouldn't do,'' he said. ''You might say it in the locker room or something, but to do it like he did, that's something different. It's just weird.''

Not much has been said by Cutler to Webb or the team. Moore doesn't expect him to, either.

''I think it's just him,'' Moore said. ''That's the type of guy he is. He's not going to hold anything back. So I mean, if he was to talk to the team I guess you would kind of feel weird about it because it's really not just his thing.''

Cutler's behavior apparently has done nothing to damage his standing with coach Lovie Smith.

''It's pretty simple: I like Jay Cutler and everything that he is,'' Smith said. ''And I am not trying to trade any of our players.

''The week before, you didn't hear an awful lot of this stuff. We were talking about how good we were and how we were playing. So, we'll get back to that where the focus is on the play on the football field. That's what I was disappointed in: Our play. The way we as coaches prepared our guys and the way we played during that game. But we'll correct that.''

The Bears (1-1) will stick with Webb at left tackle, but are considering a change at left guard from Chris Spencer to Chilo Rachal as they prep for the Rams (1-1).

''I want to take it to another level,'' said Rachal, a former San Francisco 49er who signed in free agency with the Bears. ''This is a good opportunity. I have a small window and I want to maximize this opportunity because you never know when I'll get this chance again.''

The Bears had good news regarding running back Matt Forte, who went out early in the second half last week with a right ankle sprain.

''Matt Forte does not have a high ankle sprain - he has an ankle sprain,'' Smith said. ''As far as when he'll be back, I don't know. But he looked a lot better today.''

Forte did not practice Monday, but did not wear a cast of any kind and jogged off quickly after watching practice.

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