Below are excerpts from Bob Costas’ interview with Chicago Bears Coach Marc Trestman, the exclusive interview airs tonight on “Football Night in America.”
Trestman on how the Bears handled their bye week after the team’s 51-23 loss to the Patriots: “We didn’t take this as torture, we embraced it. We went back to work a couple days after the bye, spent some time trying to find things we could do to help our players get better, and reevaluated what we were doing.”
Trestman on Rodney Harrison’s statement that the Bears need to re-focus their offense around RB Matt Forte: “I think it’s a valid point. We want everybody involved to be a part of our success as we move the ball on offense.”
Trestman on QB Jay Cutler: “He’s an extremely bright guy with great football intelligence. He works extremely hard at his craft and is looking to move up and play better. He needs to do a better job at protecting the football, and he’s certainly taken accountability for that.”
Trestman on DE Lamarr Houston’s sack celebration and injury: “Lamarr knows what he did was completely inappropriate at the time. It was something that we not only don’t want to see on our team, we don’t want to be a part of that. That’s not what the NFL is all about.”
Trestman on the significance of the Bears-Packers rivalry: “No doubt it’s a great rivalry. Growing up in the Midwest, watching this rivalry my whole life, I understand it’s really about the NFL. It’s about the traditions of the NFL, and anybody who loves the league has got to love this matchup, because it’s part of the history of the league.”
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