Hoge's Notes: Marshall Feels 'Rushed' After Hip Surgery
By Adam Hoge-
HALAS HALL (CBS) Two or three drops in a preseason game is not something to worry about with Brandon Marshall.
No one inside of Halas Hall is concerned about that.
But what may be of concern is that Marshall is still not where he wants to be coming off offseason surgery and he indicated Tuesday that he feels rushed with the regular season just 12 days away.
"It's one of those things where you may be rushed a little bit and some people might think I need to be farther on than where I am," Marshall said. "So it's a little frustrating not being where I want to be right now and maybe being pushed a little bit."
Marshall said conditioning is the biggest issue right now, but what's unclear is if Marshall feels rushed by the coaching staff or simply by the fact that the regular season is right around the corner.
"I know this: Brandon is working his tail off to try to get himself ready," Trestman said when asked to comment on Marshall feeling rushed. "He feels a sense of urgency because the season is (12) days away."
Of course, Marshall's comments Tuesday may just be a result of him being hard on himself after struggling in last week's game.
When asked about how the offense clicked in Oakland, Marshall said: "For the offense, yeah, not for me. I had about 10 drops. I think the offense did well. For myself -- mentally, physically, we need to pick it up a little more."
Knowing Marshall, his hip probably would feel a lot better if he caught three touchdowns against the Raiders.
"It's B. He's going to take it hard for a couple of days and then he'll snap out of it and he'll be the guy we need next week," quarterback Jay Cutler said. "This week we don't need him, so he can stay on the ledge for a couple more days and then come back next week."
That said, Cutler did admit he can tell Marshall is not 100 percent.
"Yeah, you can see it," the quarterback said. "Conditioning-wise he's a little behind. He knows where to be. It's just a matter of him getting out there and pushing his hip through things when it gets tight a little bit. I think once we start getting into a routine in game week and we shorten some of these reps, we'll really figure out exactly what routes we want him on and where we want him on the field. Hopefully things will sharpen up for his hip and he'll be able to make it go."
And for now, the coaching staff doesn't seem all that worried.
"If he plays every week, he's going to have a lot of catches and certainly be instrumental in the success of our offense and ultimately the success of our football team," Trestman said. "I don't see that changing."
Still Waiting For A Response From J-Webb
When J'Marcus Webb was demoted following a poor performance in the first preseason game, it was clear he was being sent a message by the coaching staff. And if that wasn't an ultimatum from the organization, then the pay cut that was negotiated a week later certainly was.
That's why it's mind-boggling that Webb is still struggling with penalties. He was called for a holding penalty on his third snap last Friday and was also guilty of a false start in the fourth quarter.
"Nothing surprises me in life, to be honest," offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer said Tuesday. "He's had a couple penalties. He's got to eliminate them. That's his responsibility and he's working on it."
And depending on the status of Jonathan Scott's knee, Thursday could be Webb's last chance in a Bears uniform to show that he can eliminate the problems.
"Every game is a big game, every evaluation, every meeting he goes to," Kromer said.
Progress From Cutler
The Bears were very happy with Jay Cutler's performance in Oakland and there is optimism that he is grasping what he can and cannot do in this offense.
"The best thing that Jay did in that game is he dropped back and got rid of the ball quickly," Kromer said. "He knew where to go, he knew how to throw it and he knew who he was getting it to by play and by coverage that he was seeing. So that was a strong step in the right direction."
Notables:
- Not that Cutler has control over the roster, but he seemed to confirm rookie wide receiver Marquess Wilson's role on this team:
"Whenever we throw him the ball, he catches it, and that's what you want to see in a receiver," Cutler said. "So we'll steadily bring him along and he'll be a contributor for us."
- If the Bears are forced to go to a third quarterback Thursday because of injuries, Josh McCown will be the guy.
- With the temperatures in the mid-90s Tuesday, Trestman was still out on the practice field in pants and long sleeves like he always is.
"Just trying to stay out of the sun," he said. "It's all sun protection. That's all it is."
Adam Hoge covers the Bears for CBSChicago.com and is a frequent contributor to 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter at @AdamHoge.
