Nov. 24--Lovie Smith was buttoned up and all business as usual following Sunday's 21-13 loss to the Bears.
The former Bears coach, who spent nine up-and-down years here, shrugged off any notion that personal emotions were involved in his return to Chicago as the Buccaneers' field boss.
"I have been away from here for a period of time, so I have a chance to see a lot of people," said Smith, who was fired after the 2012 season. "I really wasn't into family reunions or anything like that today. I have lifetime friends here. I don't really need a game to see them. But we won a lot of games here at Soldier Field ... a lot of great memories. But this is a bad memory right now."
Turnovers and penalties bedeviled the Bucs (2-9), two of the most egregious football sins in Smith's winning philosophy. And former Bears backup quarterback Josh McCown, who did such a magnificent job protecting the football last season while filling in for the injured Jay Cutler, threw two interceptions and lost a fumble Sunday.
While Smith said he dispensed from fraternizing with the former Bears players he coached, McCown acknowledged talking to Cutler and several other Bears before and after Sunday's contest.
"It was just special and I am thankful for the guys I got to be around," McCown said of his years with the Bears. "And the opportunity to play last year and the things we were able to do offensively ... it afforded me the opportunity here (with Tampa Bay). But more than anything, just the people ... not just the players but everybody up and down in that (Halas Hall) building ... the relationships that were made, I value that so much. I am thankful I spent time here."
Asked specifically about talking to Cutler, McCown said: "Jay and I talked before and after the game. And I will keep those conversations between us."
Smith made light of the groin injury sustained Sunday by veteran Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, who enjoyed a close relationship with Smith over the years.
"I was a little excited when he went down when they told me it wasn't anything serious," Smith said. "Seriously, Lance Briggs is a great player, been a great player for a long time. You want to compete against the best and it is a little different without him being out there at the end.
"It was a little different without seeing a lot of guys out there. It's a little different not seeing Charles Tillman on the other side with injuries. But just like we have some players out, this time of the year some of the great players can't go always."
Bears running back Matt Forte was able to go and ran for 89 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns.
"He has been that way ever since he came into the league, so the same old Matt Forte," Smith said.
McCown completed 25 of 48 passes for 341 yards and one TD, but he was sacked five times and his two picks brought his passer rating down to 64.7.
"We came out and started the game the way we wanted to, and the third quarter killed us," McCown said. "Man, our defense played good. That dip during the third quarter really hurt us."
McCown stopped short of totally blaming the wet, rainy conditions for his performance.
"When you get into this weather, it's not optimal throwing conditions," McCown said. "But you have to kind of manage it the best you can."
fmitchell@tribpub.com
Twitter@kicker34
.jpg?w=600)
