Red flags went up when Bears linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs exchanged heated words during Chicago's 24-13 meltdown against the Lions on Monday night, but Urlacher on Thursday downplayed the encounter.
"Everyone asked me what happened after the game: 'Was I yelling at Lance on the sideline?' I said: 'I wasn't yelling at Lance on the sideline. He didn't do anything wrong,'" Urlacher told the Chicago Tribune. "My daughter was like, 'Did you fight with Lance on the sideline?' I said, 'No, why?' She said: 'Well, you looked like you were really mad when you talked to him.'
"We were both mad because we aren't used to this. As long as (Briggs) and I have been here, we haven't played like this. We've had some spurts when we've been bad, but not for five games in a row when you get hit on big plays like that. So it's frustrating, but it's fixable."
Urlacher also expressed frustration over an unnecessary roughness penalty he was slapped with for a third-quarter hit on Detroit tight end Tony Scheffler.
"I don't care what's legal and what's not," Urlacher told reporters. "I'm going to play the way I play."
Briggs, defending his teammate, said that brand of penalty needs to be reviewed. Briggs said even if it looked like Urlacher led with his helmet, he actually led with his shoulder pads.
Their distress is understandable. The Bears' defense gave up an outrageous 181 yards on the ground to Detroit. Paired with a struggling offense, they're allowing 24.4 points per game, almost a touchdown more per game than they gave up during 2010's run to the NFCÂ North title, which feels like a lifetime ago.
