Trotter hadn't played extensively since giving up an 86-yard touchdown in the Oct. 18 loss at Oakland, just a week into his comeback. He looked much quicker against the Bears.
"He's worked extremely hard to get himself back into shape where he can play and play well," McDermott said. "I think it's important that we manage our expectations with Jeremiah. With the point that he's at in his career, that we have a good blend between Joe and Trotter at the same time."
Asked about Mays, who lost the middle-linebacking job in training camp, McDermott indicated he also has made progress.
"He did pretty much as we expected him to do," McDermott said. "First-time starter, he rallied, made some plays. The No. 1 thing Joe did is, he got us lined up, and as a middle linebacker and the quarterback of the defense, when you're in that position, you have to get us lined up . . . In addition to that, he made some plays where he was flying to the football, which was good to see, as a natural linebacker. I think any player in their first start very rarely comes out of a game and doesn't experience some plays that they'd like to have back, and that's why I say Joe was coming off that first start."
Trotter said: "It felt good just to get out there and kind of get into a little rhythm, get some plays back-to-back."
"I knew it was only a matter of time before God gave me my legs back. It's crazy - I was praying last week, and my pastor told me he prayed for me to get my legs back, and I could feel the difference in the game."
Trotter said he hadn't expected to play as much as he did in Chicago.
