Bears Blitz

Published by Jeff Kayer on January 24, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

As football fans across the country begin to salivate over the great match-up of the Steelers and Packers, Chicago Bears fans are hurting and have apparently decided to kick their franchise quarterback while he is down. 

Jay Cutler had to leave the game in the third quarter due to a knee injury, possibly a severe one.  Despite this, fans are almost solely blaming the loss on Cutler, to the point many are saying he quit on the game and the team. 

The statistics for Cutler are admittedly sub-par, going only 6-14 for 80 yards and one interception.  His pick was especially disconcerting since it came with seconds to go in the first half in one of the only offensive opportunities the team had following a Lance Briggs interception.   Despite having two timeouts and near midfield, Cutler threw a jump ball that was intercepted by Sam Shields.

It was during this play thought that Cutler appeared to hurt his knee or possibly further aggravate it from earlier in the game.  Whatever the case, Cutler left the field before his team, only to return in the third quarter and play one offensive series.   Everyone knew then how serious the injury was when Todd Collins, a man with zero touchdowns and five interceptions in five quarters this year, came in to play. 

The first half Cutler played on Sunday was clearly forgettable.  However, for a man who was sacked over 50 times this season and plays in the NFL with diabetes, the assertion that Jay Cutler quit on his team is utterly ridiculous.

It’s entirely understandable for Bears fans to be disappointed that they loss to their hated rivals.   To see their team get so thoroughly dominated for almost 50 minutes, on home field no less, was downright disturbing.  It’s also not easy to like Jay Cutler, who is often arrogant and comes off as a guy who is overconfident. 

However, it’s not fair to point the loss on Jay Cutler alone. There is the fact that the Bears defense couldn’t get the Packers off the field for much of the first half. There’s another that the Bears only ran for 83 years (73, if you take out the 10 that Cutler “the quitter” ran for.).  While the defense played a solid game in the second half, they also allowed the Packers to control most of the action in the first half, including two long sustained drives.  

Again, any fan that sees their team lose in a Championship game is going to be disappointed.  The fact their team loses to a hated rival just adds lemon juice on an already open wound.   But the fact is, saying someone quit on an NFC Championship game is honestly one of the more ridiculous statements I have ever heard. 

Furthermore, it’s downright sad if reports are true that Bears fans are burning their Jay Cutler jerseys.  These are the same fans that two seasons ago, were rejoicing in the streets that the team had acquired arguably the most heralded quarterback in the team’s history.   And if those fans take two minutes to think rationally, they should realize he has delivered on his potential thus far.

While this statistic may not mean a lot to most fans, Cutler was the first quarterback in team history to throw for consecutive 3,000 yard seasons.  While he may only be a top 15 quarterback in the NFL, he happens to be the best the Bears have had since Sid Luckman, who played on the team from 1939-50.

Despite being sacked more than any other quarterback in the league, having the worst offensive line in the league protect him with a running game that was only 22nd in the league, Cutler helped guide the Bears to the NFC Championship in just his second season.   Kyle Orton, the quarterback some fans wish we never traded away, has gone 11-17 in that span. 

Jay Cutler may be a lot of things.  He may be arrogant, cocky, insufferable to speak with and look disinterested on the sideline.  But one thing Jay Cutler is not is a quitter.  Instead of Bears fans being excited at the future of a team that is building for long term success, they are deciding to burn their franchise quarterback’s jersey.

Bears fans, be sad at today’s outcome.  I implore you, however, that when you wake up tomorrow, to smell the roses and appreciate that for the first time in many years, the Bears are a young team that should only be better in 2011. 

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