In case you’re wondering about the hierarchy of the Bears locker room, head coach Lovie Smith just established it.
First, quarterback Jay Cutler bumped and swore at one of his offensive linemen on national television, showing him up on the field in the middle of a four-interception, seven-sack game.
Then, cornerback D.J. Moore took issue with Cutler’s behavior, suggesting he shouldn’t have singled out left tackle J’Marcus Webb in such a public manner, saying: “I don’t think you can act like that.”
So naturally, Smith’s response was swift and sure.
“He wasn’t happy at all,’’ Moore told the Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times. “He said, ‘Don’t say it in this setting’ or ‘don’t say it here’’ or “don’t say it there.’ He was just telling me the right way to do stuff.’’
Ah, the right way to do stuff. That must have been quite a talk.
I’m sure the part about not airing out your teammates in public was very helpful to Moore, and everyone else in the locker room.
Except that one guy, of course.
What Smith has done, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is enable his quarterback to act in whatever way he pleases, as long as they’re both employed there. Because right or wrong, Cutler’s far more important to Smith’s continued employment as a head coach than Moore is, so it’s Cutler’s back that he’ll get.
If there’s a split in the locker room over Cutler’s behavior, Smith just announced to the lot of them whose side he’s on.