Jay Cutler News: Pro Sports Daily

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February 11

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Bears paid a steep price to get Jay Cutler. Two first-round picks, a third-rounder and quarterback Kyle Orton went to the Denver Broncos, but the Bears acquired a Pro Bowl quarterback in his prime (26), as well as a fifth-round pick who ended up being Pro Bowl kickoff returner Johnny Knox. So far, the Broncos appear to have fleeced the Bears. While the Bears had many problems in a 7-9 season, Cutler was chief among them, throwing 26 interceptions, a league high in 2009 and the second most in Bears history. His turnovers directly led to 93 points, nearly 25 percent of the team's total. But ESPN ''Monday Night Football'' and ''NFL Matchup'' analyst Ron Jaworski said Cutler still can be ..."

Cutler countdown ticks away

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February 10

Chicago Sun-Times

"There was a telling moment during the news conference Jan. 5 announcing offensive coordinator Ron Turner's firing that illustrated the widening gulf between Bears coach Lovie Smith and Grabowskis everywhere. Smith was asked how he could expect the same core players playing the same scheme to bring dramatically improved results after three years of mediocrity. His answer rang of the same incredulousness that dripped from the question. That's what this relationship has come to: Smith can't fathom the pessimism of outsiders who are convinced his optimism is delusional. But those tempted to root against the Bears, hoping Smith will be replaced after next season, are missing a lesson the Super ..."

Joe Montana says pressure got to Jay Cutler

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February 5

Chicago Tribune

"A former player who knows a thing or two about pressure thinks Jay Cutler may have had a hard time handling the heightened expectations during his first season in Chicago. Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana appeared on "The Waddle and Silvy Show" on WMVP-AM 1000 Thursday from South Florida and was asked what he thought of Cutler's shaky performance with the Bears. "Part of it is pressure," Montana said. "Sometimes you bring it on yourself a bit. You're not happy somewhere, and you leave and you think it's better somewhere else ... and maybe when you get there and it's a little bit more than you expected, and maybe it's not what you expected. "A lot of the times you're trying too hard, ..."

Cutler 'comfortable' with new coordinator Martz

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February 5

Chicago Tribune

"New Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz said he enjoyed meeting with quarterback Jay Cutler last Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., and apparently the feeling was mutual. "I felt very comfortable with him," Cutler told ChicagoBears.com. "The results of his offense speak for themselves. He had a lot of success in St. Louis and his offenses made improvements each year in Detroit and San Francisco.""

Could a Mike Martz-Jay Cutler marriage work?

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February 1

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Before Mike Martz entered a Nashville restaurant Saturday night to meet Jay Cutler, he must have felt a little like the guy proposing on the JumboTron. What if he hears no? That's the ridiculously awkward position the Bears put Martz in by dispatching him to go see Cutler rather than bringing the quarterback to Chicago. Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith had all month to arrange a meeting between Martz and Cutler in a more appropriate manner and setting and came up with something contrived out of FootballMatch.com. Compatibility with Cutler surely matters for the next offensive coordinator, so, granted, it was a good idea for the two strong personalities to meet. But not in a way that ultimately ..."

Bears, Cutler huddle with Rogers

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January 29

Chicago Sun-Times

"Here's something the Bears' Jay Cutler may not know about Kevin Rogers, even if he did meet with the Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach during Rogers' interview Thursday at Halas Hall: Rogers' reaction to mistakes by his quarterback is ''not a happy sight,'' former Virginia Tech quarterback Bryan Randall said of his former position coach. ''I've seen that face before. It's not one you want to see. ''If it's in the middle of the game, he's going to let you have it, especially if you should know better. He's going to let you know you're better than that and he's going to get on you.'' Rogers, who has worked with Brett Favre, Tavaris Jackson, Sage Rosenfels and Gus Frerotte in recent years, ..."

Voices in Cutler's head

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January 20

Chicago Sun-Times

"Fear gripped Rich Gannon before the Oakland Raiders' 2004 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was the only time in his 17-year career he remembers being afraid to take the field. The fear stemmed from his lack of familiarity with the offense after a first-year coach put in a new system. Gannon is worried Jay Cutler will feel the same way, if he hasn't already. That's how much changing coaches can affect even the most experienced quarterbacks. ''It's a perfect recipe for disaster for a quarterback because you don't have reps in the system or a comfort level with the coordinator,'' said Gannon, now an analyst for CBS. ''What I really struggled with was when Norv Turner came in. ..."

Chicago's big-money QB needs coordinator who will help maximize his strengths.

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January 16

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

columnist Matt Bowen

"Living here in Chicago, I can become a soundboard of sorts when it comes to questions surrounding the Bears, and right now there are plenty of questions about what direction this team is headed when it comes to the coaching staff. Think about it: the Bears - except for Lovie Smith - don't have much structure to their staff. Sure, there is Rod Marinelli, who may end up becoming the default defensive coordinator after Perry Fewell joined forces with Tom Coughlin and the Giants yesterday. But outside of the ex-Lions coach, there are still big, gaping holes as this team starts to prepare for the Senior Bowl, the NFL combine, free agency and the draft. But, what caught the eye of most Bears ..."

Martz looks like safe choice for Bears

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January 7

Chicago Sun-Times

"Mike Martz, the conductor of ''The Greatest Show on Turf,'' would relish a chance to build an offense around Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Given his success in St. Louis, where he developed quarterback Kurt Warner and the Rams' record-breaking offense, Martz has been projected as a reasonable candidate for the Bears' offensive-coordinator vacancy, especially given his connection with coach Lovie Smith. In fact, it's believed the Bears may have made preliminary contact with Martz about the position. Yet Smith, who was the Rams' defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2004, may not be the one blocking Martz's path to the Bears. Instead, Bears assistant head coach Rod Marinelli could be his ..."

Cutler could spur Martz to renew Lovie connection

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January 6

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Neil Hayes

"Jay Cutler has everything Mike Martz looks for in a quarterback, which when combined with Martz's availability, the interest that he expressed to the Sun-Times and his long association with Bears coach Lovie Smith makes him the leading contender to replace Ron Turner as the team's offensive coordinator. ''I am interested,'' Martz said. ''First and foremost because of Lovie and because I believe in everything he stands for as a coach and a man. I'd love to work with him.'' With the Bears are shopping for a new mentor for Cutler it stands to reason that Smith will choose someone he has worked with before. Martz was the Rams' head coach when Smith was the defensive coordinator from 2001-2003. ..."

Unmet hopes fueled by Cutler's potential cost Turner, 5 others jobs

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January 6

Chicago Sun-Times

"Call it the ''Cutler Effect.'' It's a force that can blast a man, a coaching staff, with more stinging pellets than any lake-effect blizzard. Ask former Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner. He and five of his offensive underlings took the brunt of the ''Jay gale'' Tuesday, when they were blamed for everything that has gone wrong with the franchise since Jay Cutler came to town. That's a heck of a thing, considering for a while there Cutler all by himself was tossing the ball to the other teams as though sharing a sack full of Cinnabons with the starving. If Turner, quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton or the nephew of Dick Butkus himself, assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus, had their ..."

Jay's ratings go up at end of the season

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January 4

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler finished with a flourish. After bottoming out with a 7.9 passer rating two weeks ago at Baltimore, Cutler was as good as advertised in the last two weeks of the season. Coming off a strong performance against the Vikings on Monday, Cutler was just as good, if not better, against the Lions on Sunday -- making clutch throws and big plays in the fourth quarter to steer the Bears to a 37-23 victory when it looked like the wheels might be coming off. With his 48-yard pass to Devin Hester on a crucial third-down play, followed by touchdown passes of one yard to Desmond Clark and 12 yards to Devin Aromashodu in the last nine minutes, Cutler finished 22-for-36 for 276 yards, four ..."

Cutler likes receiving corps' future

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January 4

Chicago Tribune

"So this is what the plan was all along for the Bears' young receiving corps. Devin Aromashodu providing a big target going deep or a fade route. Greg Olsen battling for catches over the middle and finding openings in the end zone. Devin Hester making plays in space after quick passes. Aromashodu had his second straight outstanding game Sunday in the 37-23 season-finale win over the Lions. He caught five passes and scored two touchdowns. Olsen also had five receptions for 94 yards and a TD. Hester caught three passes, including a key 48-yarder from quarterback Jay Cutler. "Cutler has been playing well lately, so he has been making it easy for all of us," said Aromashodu, who caught the ..."

Bottom line: Get interception number dow

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January 4

Chicago Tribune

columnist Fred Mitchell

"Jay Cutler managed to balance the books Sunday, finishing the season with 27 touchdown passes and 26 interceptions. "That's hard to do," the Bears' quarterback said with a smile. "It was a struggle. We've got to get that (interception) number down. That's the bottom line." Cutler was turnover-free in a 37-23 victory over the Lions. He completed 22 of 36 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns. His passer rating was 122.0. "It was important to the team just to get some momentum," Cutler said when asked about his improved performance in the last two games. "Just for confidence and the guys going into the offseason. "More than anything it just shows we can play good football, which ..."

Bears' struggles linked to QB Jay Cutler

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January 3

Michigan Live

"Quarterback Jay Cutler was expected to be the final piece of the puzzle for the Chicago Bears, a team that already possessed an excellent defense and a strong running game. That's not exactly how it worked out. Last April, the Bears dealt quarterback Kyle Orton, two first-round draft picks and a third-round choice to the Denver Broncos for Cutler. Because of problems with Denver's new coach, Josh McDaniels, Cutler had been on the trading block. The Detroit Lions, who will host the Bears today at Ford Field, were one of the many teams who had inquired about Cutler. Last year, the Bears finished 9-7 and just out of the playoffs and felt they needed to take a bold step forward. Instead, ..."

Cutler swears he didn't make obscene gesture, ponders 2010 season

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December 31

Daily Southtown

"Jay Cutler may have pointed a finger as he jogged off the field at the end of regulation Monday night, but the Bears quarterback said Wednesday it was not THE finger. Much speculation had swirled around with which finger Cutler pointed while fans booed after he took a knee with eight seconds left in regulation and Monday night's game knotted at 30-all. Cutler got the last laugh by throwing a 39-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu in overtime in the Bears' 36-30 win over Minnesota. "I was just pointing at the clock," Cutler said Wednesday. "I didn't understand why they were booing. There were eight seconds left. There wasn't much we were going to do. I'm going to suggest ..."

Jay denies finger-pointing allegation

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December 31

Chicago Sun-Times

"Quarterback Jay Cutler may have pointed a finger as he jogged off the field at the end of regulation, but he said Wednesday it was not the finger. Much speculation had swirled around which finger Cutler used while fans booed after he took a knee with eight seconds left in regulation and Monday night's game knotted at 30. Cutler got the last laugh by throwing a 39-yard game-winning touchdown pass to Devin Aromashodu in overtime. ''I was just pointing at the clock,'' Cutler said Wednesday. ''I didn't understand why they were booing. There were eight seconds left. There wasn't much we were going to do. I'm going to suggest we take a knee there every time and take our chances in overtime.'' ..."

Has Jay Cutler had his wings clipped this season?

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December 31

Chicago Tribune

"Jay Cutler outside the pocket is a duck in water. But this season, the duck has been stuck in the thicket for most of the season. Only 6 percent of Cutler's passes have come outside the pocket, according to STATS. In his previous three years, with the Broncos, nearly 12 percent of his passes came outside the pocket. The argument could be made -- and allow me to make it -- that the Bears should have used Cutler on rollouts, sprint-outs and bootlegs more than the Broncos did, not less. His career passer rating outside the pocket is 114.3 compared to 79.3 in the pocket. Not only is Cutler effective outside the pocket, but inside of it he has looked like a caged animal at times -- ..."

Cutler needs to improve, but Bears must help him do it

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December 27

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler has looked defeated from the moment he has jogged onto the field in recent games. At other times, it looks as though he wants to hide -- even if that's impossible for a quarterback who has become the face of the Bears despite throwing a league-high 25 interceptions. A lot has gone terribly wrong this season, as anyone who has followed the Bears knows. Most disturbing of all is the crisis of confidence their once-cocky quarterback seems to be having. Cutler's swagger is gone. There isn't much that could happen in the last two games that would make anybody feel better about this awful season. It would be nice for the defense to rise up, but it appears unlikely at this late date. ..."

Jay Cutler doesn't focus on criticism

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December 24

Chicago Tribune

"A league-high 25 interceptions have made Jay Cutler the target of much criticism throughout the season. The Bears quarterback doesn't appear to be fazed. "I don't worry about anybody's observations except for the people in this building," Cutler said during his Wednesday news conference at Halas Hall. "Whatever you guys write and whatever you guys do, that's your deal. "I can't get wrapped up in what's going on outside of this building." It won't get any easier Monday night for Cutler against the NFC North-champion Vikings. He threw two interceptions the first time the teams met -- a 36-10 loss at Minnesota -- and Cutler's 12 interceptions in night games have been well-documented. Changes ..."

Jay Cutler unconcerned about outside criticism

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December 23

Chicago Tribune

"Bears quarterback Jay Cutler continues to brush off the criticism that has followed him throughout this dismal 5-9 season. "I don't worry about anybody's observations except for the people in this building," Cutler said. "Whatever you guys write and whatever you guys do, that's your deal. I can't get wrapped up in what's going on outside of this building." Cutler takes a league-high 25 interceptions into Monday night's game against the Vikings. He threw two picks the first time the teams met -- a 36-10 loss in Minnesota. Changes are sure to be made at season's end, with offensive coordinator Ron Turner the focus of much of the blame. Cutler was asked what positive he could take out of this ..."

The downward spiral of quarterback Jay Cutler

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December 22

Chicago Sun-Times

"It's so tantalizing, this idea that our world soon could be Lovie-free. If it turns out to be a figment of an exuberant imagination, I'll apologize later. But now? Leave me to my giddiness. On Sunday, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo left open the possibility that Lovie Smith would not be back next year as head coach. The only sweeter utterance would have been the suggestion that the tag team of Smith and Angelo isn't long for Halas Hall. But these are the Bears, and dark thoughts tend to follow like overcaffeinated gnats. Would you like me to bring you down from your buzz? What if Smith and Angelo aren't the worst of the Bears' problems? What if the decision to trade for and pay Jay ..."

Jerry Angelo's standards for Lovie Smith could apply to himself

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December 22

Chicago Tribune

"A funny thing happened to Jerry Angelo on the way to explaining why money is no object when deciding Lovie Smith's future. Angelo introduced logic that potentially opened the door to his exit too. If Angelo can disregard the $11 million and two years remaining on Smith's contract, then theoretically Bears ownership could ignore the four years and millions left on Angelo's deal. If Smith ultimately is found guilty of ruining the 2009 season and sentenced with unemployment, then Angelo is at least an accomplice. So does he have the right to threaten Smith's job without expecting to have his put in the same jeopardy? It seems hard to fathom the Bears firing Angelo nine months after he was all ..."

For Cutler, another difficult day; Webb hurt

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December 21

Baltimore Sun

"Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler entered the weekend having thrown the most interceptions this season in the NFL, and the Ravens defense helped him stay there by picking him off three times in the 31-7 rout Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. "He's a guy who we needed to [pressure] because if you don't, he can kill you," said outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, who intercepted Cutler once. "But he's such an aggressive guy and such a risk-taker that if you get after him, he's going to force plays." The defense's joy, however, was tempered by news that rookie cornerback Lardarius Webb could miss the rest of the season. Webb landed awkwardly on his right knee while attempting a block during a ..."

New low and behold, Cutler's worsening

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December 21

Chicago Sun-Times

"Arguably the most vexing problem facing the Bears is this simple: When Jay Cutler should be getting better, he's getting worse. The quarterback who was supposed to keep the Bears in every game was at the controls of their fifth blowout loss this season with yet another new low Sunday. Cutler, who threw four interceptions against the Green Bay Packers in the season opener and five against the San Francisco 49ers, was 10-for-27 for 94 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions for a career-low 7.9 passer rating in a 31-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He could use a do-over. ''Hit the reset button or something? That would be nice, but we can't,'' Cutler said with a chuckle when asked if ..."

The Lovie and Jerry Show not worth watching

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December 21

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Rick Morrissey

"I made it as far as Cleveland, which is farther than Jay Cutler and the Bears got. Oh, I know what the historical record will show: that the Bears' charter got through blizzard conditions to land in Baltimore on Saturday night, that the team witnessed snowdrifts the size of Jerry Angelo's cluelessness and that players arrived in uniform Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium to play the Baltimore Ravens. If Cutler and his friends have a sliver of sense, they'll say they were abducted somewhere over Toledo and replaced by abominable football players. Otherwise, they're going to have to fess up to being the group of men that got the bodily fluids knocked out of them in a 31-7 loss. There was nothing ..."

Mike Shanahan and Tony Romo a match with Dallas Cowboys?

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December 20

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"This is a story about Mike Shanahan. But it's really a story about Jay Cutler. I'm going to start by telling you what I have been telling about a dozen people a day -- radio show hosts, people at the health club, general managers of other teams, friends from college, writers from other cities, and on and on. I don't think Lovie Smith is going anywhere. I will be really surprised if he is fired. But the possibility certainly exists because the NFL is all about results. And the results are he has coached a team that has not made the playoffs for three straight years. Shanahan knows that possibility exists. And there is a rumor making the rounds in NFL front offices that says the Bears' job ..."

No. 1 priority: Getting Cutler back on track

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December 18

Chicago Sun-Times

"Now that Devin Hester's secret sources have confirmed change you can believe in is coming to Halas Hall, let's offer a word of direction for general manager Jerry Angelo: Don't forget to stay the course. Not with the coaching staff per say, but with his declaration last year that the franchise was ''fixated'' on the quarterback position. No one really gives a tweet whether Hester's prediction was taken out of context. It just offered an opportunity to talk about firing offensive coordinator Ron Turner, a prospect that seems to be gathering momentum. If Hester hadn't delivered in a locker-room interview, there was enough from Jay Cutler to start discussing the idea. Cutler had an ..."

Cutler provides an escape route

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December 14

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Jay Cutler gives in. Aaron Rodgers refuses to give in. That was the dramatic difference between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers on a humid mid-September night at Lambeau Field and then again Sunday, three months later, on a balmy mid-December afternoon at Soldier Field. It might also control the fate of the two franchises as they move forward under their 26-year-old quarterbacks. "That's it," cornerback Charles Woodson said of how the performance of the quarterbacks separated the two teams in the Packers' 21-14 victory. "I think Aaron Rodgers' decisions are much better. He (Cutler) has got a good arm, but he just doesn't use it right." In both meetings, the Bears entered the fourth ..."

Retention-ballot blues

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December 14

Chicago Sun-Times

"If, as some people suggested, Sunday's game was a referendum on whether Lovie Smith should be back next year as Bears coach, then perhaps we should take a look at the vote count from the reporting precincts. Penalties: 13. Coaching brain-locks: 1. Losses to the Green Bay Packers this season: 2. Chance of a winning season: 0. Empty seats at Soldier Field: too many to count. Toward the end of a dismal season, on a field the color of split-pea soup, the Bears lost 21-14 to the archrival Packers, officially ending the sliver of a chance they had of playing in the postseason. This is the third year in a row the Bears will be sitting out the playoffs, a stunning reversal of fortune for a team ..."

Packers' Aaron Rodgers praises Green Bay's defense

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December 14

Chicago Tribune

"The Packers are on a roll -- five straight wins to be exact -- and quarterback Aaron Rodgers has the versatile weapons that the Bears can only dream of possessing. The first play from scrimmage Sunday for Green Bay was a 62-yard touchdown run by Ryan Grant, the Packers' longest rush of the season. Grant wound up with 137 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. "We're close, but we have to clean some things up," Grant said. "We need to score more touchdowns." When Rodgers struggled to find his rhythm in the passing game, Green Bay's defense relieved the pressure with key interceptions. "You have to have a lot of admiration for the way (Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers) has changed ..."

Packers' defense has Jay Cutler's number

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December 14

Chicago Tribune

columnist Fred Mitchell

"A Packers defense that forced two Jay Cutler interceptions Sunday was disappointed it didn't come away with more. There is something about the NFL's top-ranked defense that seems to make Cutler especially uncomfortable. "There are a lot of things that are frustrating," Cutler said. "We have a whole list of them. When you boil it down, we aren't producing offensively and we're not winning games." Cutler threw six interceptions in his two games against the Packers this season. The two picks in Sunday's 21-14 loss led to 10 points. "You have to play your responsibilities and put pressure on (Cutler)," Packers linebacker Nick Barnett said. "You put pressure on him to step up or throw off the ..."

Bears' loss microcosm of season

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December 14

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Lovie Smith technically was right. The strange fourth-quarter sequence that wasted two timeouts didn't make the Bears lose 21-14 Sunday to the Packers at Soldier Field. But it exhibited the type of indecision and illogical thinking that often leads to the loss of confidence -- and unemployment. It wasn't so much that the Bears were swept by the Packers for the first time under Smith and officially eliminated from playoff contention for a third straight season. It was that they committed a season high in penalties (13), watched Jay Cutler self-destruct again and saw Smith make decisions that make it impossible to argue against wholesale changes at Halas Hall. It was that this game packed ..."

A mission-statement game against Packers

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December 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"Since the day he was hired, Bears coach Lovie Smith has maintained the same goals for every team and every season: beat the Green Bay Packers, win the NFC North, bring a Super Bowl trophy to town. It might sound laughable this season, but today's game will go a long way toward clarifying the future of the organization. Will this be Smith's last stand? Will the Bears stand tall or fold when they welcome the Green Bay Packers to Soldier Field for a continuation of the NFL's longest-running rivalry? The Bears could begin a great escape with a victory or tumble into the abyss with a loss. It might be too late to save offensive coordinator Ron Turner, but then again, maybe not. Absurd as it ..."

Bears have chance to show progress against Packers

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December 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler could take a lesson or two from Adewale Ogunleye on how to handle an awkward question. When Ogunleye was asked this week to explain why Gaines Adams and Mark Anderson have struggled to make an impact -- a fair question for a coach, but a no-win situation for a teammate -- he could've gotten away with saying, ''That's a coach's question'' and been done with it. But he came up with an answer anyway. It's called playing the game. ''That's not for me to answer,'' he said. ''I don't know. The guys are working hard. Gaines is definitely working hard trying to get his thing together. Mark is one of the hardest-working guys I know. I work out with him in the offseason a lot. I see he's ..."

Bears have salary cap space to spare

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December 13

Chicago Tribune

"It's the heart of the holiday shopping season and the Bears are left with ample salary cap room ... but they have no one worthy of an end-of-year gift. That is one of the realities of a 5-7 season in which expectations began unraveling two months ago. While there is no guarantee of a salary cap in 2010, clubs are operating in the event a deal is struck before March so their books remain in order. Next season could be an uncapped year and a lockout could wipe out 2011, but teams have to proceed, at least in relation to the cap, as if it's business as usual. According to the most recent available figures, the Bears remain $4.63 million below their adjusted cap of $135.9 million. They were ..."

Chicago Bears' struggles aren't all QB Jay Cutler's fault

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December 10

Green Bay Press Gazette

"Even after their new quarterback imploded in his debut against the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears seemingly had bounced back and went into their bye week with a 3-1 record. Then, the whole thing imploded. They lost six out of seven games. They were blown out when their banged-up defense collapsed against Cincinnati and Arizona, which combined to beat them by 55 points. And when their defense finally showed up in a prime-time Thursday night game against San Francisco, quarterback Jay Cutler and the offense were putrid in an ugly 10-6 loss. "We just haven't performed the way we thought we would," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "We've been blown out a couple of games where we haven't ..."

Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler needs to complain less and focus more

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December 10

Chicago Tribune

"In addition to interceptions, Jay Cutler may lead the league in complaints to officials, as well as funny faces made. Neither, however, is an official NFL statistic the Elias Sports Bureau recognizes. Of course, these are responses to frustration about Cutler's erratic play and less-than-supportive supporting cast, which are the real issues. But for Cutler to be the kind of quarterback Tom Brady is, he will need to show less emotion and more focus on the field. I am no Bill Belichick, but any youth coach worth his salt would know if a star player yelled at officials the way Cutler did Sunday, he should be brought to the sidelines. He then should feel an arm around his shoulder and hear ..."

Cutler unfazed by injury

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December 7

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler tried to downplay the significance of an injury to his right hand after the game, but said it did play a factor in him throwing a career-low 17 passes. Cutler was roughed up midway through the second quarter when he rolled right and couldn't find anything, holding the ball so long that Rams defensive end Leonard Little was able to cleanly drive him to the turf just after he threw incomplete. Cutler got up shaking his hand. 'Yeah, I dinged my hand,'' he said when asked if the offense was more conservative as the game progressed. ''And part of it was the way our defense was playing. We didn't feel like we had to make big plays or throw the ball down the field. It was a combination ..."

Bears shift to run against Rams isn't philosophical shift, Ron Turner says

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December 7

Chicago Tribune

columnist Fred Mitchell

"The Bears didn't get off the bus running, but they pretty much took a pass on passing in the second half Sunday. Jay Cutler had season lows in passes completed (8) and attempted (17). More importantly, the Bears quarterback did not turn the ball over as the Bears held on to snap a four-game losing streak with a 17-9 victory over the inept Rams. "Just to get a 'W'... it seems like it has been a long time. It wasn't the prettiest game, but we pulled it out," Cutler said. "Defensively, I thought we did a good job." Cutler passed for only 143 yards; he was sacked twice. He has thrown 20 interceptions this season but had none against the 1-11 Rams on Sunday. "I dinged my hand a little bit in ..."

Old formula works for Chicago Bears

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December 7

Chicago Tribune

"Say this about Brian Urlacher. He hasn't played since the season opener, but the injured middle linebacker still can read an offense. One week after Urlacher ripped his team to Yahoo Sports for straying from its offensive identity, the Bears used a formula that surprisingly still works in a 17-9 snoozer over the Rams. On a crisp day, the defense didn't give up a touchdown, the Bears ran the ball 65 percent of the time and 38 times overall -- their most rushes in a game since a 2008 season-opening win over the Colts. Matt Forte, the runner Urlacher claimed couldn't make tacklers miss, enjoyed his best game in two months with 91 yards on 24 carries. Jay Cutler's efficient numbers -- 8 of 17 ..."

Bears defeat St. Louis Rams 17-9

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December 7

Chicago Tribune

"Streamers weren't exactly falling inside the locker room. And there were no bottles of champagne being tossed around. In fact, most of the Bears exiting the field following Sunday's 17-9 survival against the Rams showed little emotion as they marched down the hallway at Soldier Field. The end of a four-game losing streak seemed more like a time to exhale than a time to celebrate. "It just felt like a game early on that was going to be a blowout," linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer said, "and then to let them linger, that was a little disappointing. But we won. That's the only thing I can keep saying: It's nice to win." Hillenmeyer all but secured the victory for the Bears (5-7) when he picked ..."

Bears organization as a whole simply doesn't have a clue in too many areas

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December 3

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler hasn't met the highest expectations of Bears fans. What's disturbing is that he hasn't even met the most conservative expectations, either. Even if you said, ''I don't expect Cutler to take us to the Super Bowl this season, I just expect him to be an upgrade over Kyle Orton and show some signs of progress as he gets acclimated to this offense and these new players,'' he still has failed. Whose fault is that? The Bears'. And not just Pep Hamilton or Harry Hiestand or Ron Turner or even Lovie Smith. The Bears might offer a token position coach as sacrifice for a disappointing season. But even if they let Turner walk or take the unlikely step of firing Smith, it won't be enough. ..."

Jay's all-of-blame speech

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December 3

Chicago Tribune

"In his most candid news conference since joining the Bears, Jay Cutler took on all questions, including some regarding Brian Urlacher's contention that his arrival cost the team its identity on offense. Cutler accepted blame, insisted his record is most important and called the criticism he has received ''100 percent fair.'' Then he essentially called on the Bears' front office to provide a better supporting cast. This is where the Bears have sunk -- sitting at 4-7 and having to address pointed commentary about their demise from their own. It's a tough spot for general manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith, who've been stunned by the nosedive that followed a 3-1 start. With few of the ..."

Urlacher making matters worse with remarks

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December 1

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Brian Urlacher must feel left out. All his defensive teammates were contributing Sunday to the slow demise of this Bears season so he must have felt compelled to do his part. And Urlacher's comments to Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports serve little purpose other than contribute to the team's problems more than the solution. Compelling, yes. Constructive, not so much. A team captain should know better. That makes this mini-controversy more disappointing than surprising. Urlacher always has been a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker who was considered an even better teammate. His honesty Sunday only will cloud that perception. "Look, I love Jay, and I understand he's a great player who can take us a ..."

Jay really doesn't have much to say

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November 30

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler looked a lot better on Sunday than he has virtually the whole season. He didn't play all that well, mind you, but he wore a coat and tie to the interview room after the game instead of retreating further and further under a baseball cap, as he has done after most games. You have to appreciate the effort to look professional, even if he still bit off his answers and seemed bored as he endured the postgame queries of inquiring minds. Can you tell us what happened on that pick in the end zone, Jay? ''I threw an interception, yup,'' Cutler said. Was it underthrown? ''I'd have to go back and look at it. Probably,'' Cutler said. Did you talk to Brett Favre after the game? ''We talked ..."

Mismatch in trenches spells end doom

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November 30

Chicago Sun-Times

"Now, at least the Bears have a gauge for how far their offensive line has to come. The Minnesota Vikings showed them just how much work needs to be done after they throttled the Bears at the point of attack, limiting them to 169 yards of offense and a measly two yards in the second half of Sunday's 36-10 demolition in the Metrodome. The Vikings' front four of Jared Allen, Kevin Williams, Pat Williams and Ray Edwards had quarterback Jay Cutler under siege from the start and there were not any running lanes whatsoever. The Vikings had four sacks--two by Allen after left tackle Orlando Pace was knocked out of the game with a groin injury -- but any time Cutler took more than a three-step ..."

Favre, Vikings shove dagger into Bears' playoff hopes

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November 30

Chicago Sun-Times

"It wasn't a month ago that the Bears were pointing to two late meetings with the Minnesota Vikings as a way to turn their season around and reclaim the NFC North. This last week, Lovie Smith came up with the idea of a ''six-game schedule'' for the Bears --how clever -- after they blew it in their 10-game schedule. You know what can be done with the cliches and false hope? Bury them with this 2009 season. Now it's fair to question whether this team will win another game after the Vikings humiliated them 36-10 on Sunday at the Metrodome, sending them to a fourth consecutive defeat for the first time since Lovie Smith's first season in 2004. The Bears (4-7) have lost three games by 20 or more ..."

Bears don't give Jay Cutler a chance

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November 30

Chicago Tribune

"Without much help from the running game, his wide receivers or the pass protection, Jay Cutler turned in another mediocre performance Sunday. He started out wonderfully, finding a rhythm in the no-huddle offense and completing 14 of his first 16 passes. Among them was a pretty throw to Johnny Knox for a 24-yard touchdown in the right corner of the end zone that tied the score at seven in the second quarter. But it all started to unravel when he went back for Knox in the end zone later in the second quarter. Cutler underthrew the ball, and it was intercepted by Vikings cornerback Cedric Griffin. He was intercepted again before halftime, though this one really wasn't his fault. His pass ..."