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Marinelli aims to keep defense hungry

Rod Marinelli is pleased with how the Bears defense has performed this season. But it’s easy for the veteran defensive coordinator to make sure that players don’t get too full of themselves.

“That’s our job,” Marinelli said. “We owe that to these men. I know what they want to be. I know how special they want to be and how good they can be. And it’s a coach’s job to stay on every detail. Just tell them the truth and bring it to their attention as men, ‘that’s not good enough,’ and they will get it corrected.”

Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher said this week that Marinelli “challenges us every single day. Every day he elevates us and challenges us to make more plays.”

“I think that’s the key, hitting the right button,” Marinelli said. “And that’s in everything you do because I think motivation at a point stops after a little bit, but a challenge doesn’t. These men always rise to challenges, and when you’re a competitor, that usually serves them well.”