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Bears O-line actively working to make corrections

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Watching tape of Sunday's deflating 26-6 loss to the Browns wasn't a very pleasant experience for Bears center Sam Mustipher and his teammates.

"It was like going to the dentist," Mustipher said Tuesday. "No one likes going to the dentist. [Coaches] give you honest feedback. We had a lot of cavities on Sunday. That's something you've got to improve on, got to fix. Gotta floss every day. So it's back to the details, back to the execution."

And seemingly back to the drawing board after the offense failed to score a touchdown in Cleveland, mustered the second-fewest yards in a game in Bears history (47) and allowed nine sacks, one shy of the team record.

So, where does the offense go from here?

"It's not about 'woe is me,'" Mustipher said. "We could be like that and allow the Browns to beat us twice. Or we can get back to what we need to do. How can we improve? What are the solutions we need to make and the corrections? I feel like we did a good job of that yesterday and today.

"Just focus forward. We've got a lot of football left to play. Look for solutions. Look for corrections, things that we can improve on. Obviously, the only way to go is up … It's just being honest with yourselves. That's all it is. It's not taking personal criticism, it's just understanding: 'I have to be better for my guys. I have to be better for my room. And how can I do that?'"

Mustipher blamed the offensive line's woes in Cleveland on "us not executing our assignments, not using fundamentals and techniques in situations where we were giving them certain things we didn't need to give them."

"For me specifically, I think back to a run with David [Montgomery]," Mustipher said. "I took the wrong angle. I've got to make that block so he can make that cutback and make the play. There's multiple cases like that throughout the film. I'm not happy with my own performance from that front. 

"I think everybody in the offensive line room and our offense is capable of doing that. We're grown men. We're professionals. We know what we put on the field Sunday was unacceptable on multiple fronts." 

Mustipher was asked what type of communication he's had with rookie quarterback Justin Fields, who was under constant pressure while making his first NFL start against the Browns.

"How can I help you improve? How can I help you do your job better? That's the only conversation that we had and that's the only conversation that needs to be had," Mustipher said. "How can I do my job so that you can execute your job at a high level? We didn't do that for Justin on Sunday." 

Mustipher and the rest of the offense are eager to rebound this Sunday when the Bears host the Lions at Soldier Field. 

"We all are," he said. "You kind of want to wash that stink off of you and get back and prove to yourself, to prove to each other, that we're better than we showed. I truly believe that we are better than we showed. Now, it's all about getting to that point. 

"We can talk about it or we can actually act on it. That started yesterday and is going to continue throughout the week. It's not going to be a magical fix and we're not going to snap our fingers. It's all about putting in the work."

“It’s not about ‘woe is me.’ We could be like that and allow the Browns to beat us twice. Or we can get back to what we need to do.” Bears center Sam Mustipher

Mustipher is well aware of the widespread criticism that's being directed at the Bears offensive line from outside Halas Hall. 

"Any player who says they don't hear anything, they're lying," he said. "We're in one of the biggest media markets in the world. Like I said, let's be honest today: We didn't perform at the standard we need to perform. So, as a professional, you take onus upon yourself to say, 'I've got to correct those things.' 

"We have a lot of guys in this locker room that are willing to correct those things, that are willing to put in the work, the time, the effort, the sacrifice to correct those things. Now, it's just time to go do it, and it's really that simple."

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