David Terrell wants to become a go-to guy.
He has become one–for the officials.
His on-field histrionics aside, Terrell had a career game Sunday for the Bears, snaring five passes for 126 yards.
In search of a competent receiver to replace the traded Marty Booker, Terrell showed big-play results in Sunday’s loss to Detroit.
“We came out and wanted to get a win more than anything,” said Terrell, who had a 35-yard reception that was ruined by a 15-yard taunting penalty when he handed the ball to a Lions player on the sideline after the catch.
Terrell was cursing at the officials after the Bears’ first play from scrimmage, said Lions cornerback Fernando Bryant.
“The second play of the game he was cussing the ref out . . . the second play of the game!” Bryant said. “And this is after he ran right straight through me, an obvious [offensive interference] call. He cussed the ref out and I was just thinking, `What in the world?’ We’ve got a whole game to play and he’s doing this on the second play? Unbelievable.”
Terrell sees nothing wrong with his actions.
“They are not penalties,” he said. “I had my eyes closed on the sideline (after the 35-yard catch). I didn’t run into one of their players. I didn’t mean to hit the guy with the ball. I just dropped the ball. I didn’t throw the ball at him.
“The ref called nitpicky fouls all day on us. They made bad calls.”
Terrell refuses to believe that his repeated attempts to draw attention to himself make him an easy target for the officials.
“I’m not setting myself up for anything,” he said. “They call what they want to call. The coaches here respect me for how I play. The only thing that is going to get this taste out of our mouth is a win at Green Bay. We haven’t beaten them in the past three years.”
