Jay Cutler News: Pro Sports Daily

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November 7

Denver Post

"Depending on the populace of a particular region, feelings for Jay Cutler are as varied as water and mountains. Adored on the shores of Lake Michigan, vilified at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Cutler is expressionless as he walks right down the middle of the multitudes. Gathered here in this hybrid village of bean fields and restaurant chains, the flock was parted by barriers, ropes and walkie-talkie- equipped security guards. Appearing with his fellow quarterbacks Caleb Hanie and Brett Basanez, Cutler walked with one foot in front of the other, presumably after putting on his pants one leg at a time, through a grassy carpet that led to the Chicago Bears' practice field. The people ..."

Riddle me this: Who is Cutler?

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November 6

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Rick Telander

"Who is Jay Cutler? Do you know? Do you have any real sense of the most-spotlighted athlete in our city at this time? I don't. And if you're honest, I think you'll admit you don't, either. Derrick Rose, without question the other leading athlete celeb in town, is an open book, a veritable billboard of information and self-revelation compared to Cutler. Patrick Kane, who is moving up the chart with a bullet, is moderately chatty and lightly provocative, even when dealing with taxi-driver misfortunes. But Cutler, the long-term and very wealthy face of our franchise sports team -- the Bears rule and always will rule in a city of broad shoulders -- has been here more than a half-year, yet it's ..."

Chicago Bears won't scale back offense

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November 5

Chicago Tribune

"Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner was extremely upset after Sunday's 30-6 victory over Browns as his offense went 2-for-7 in the red zone. Turner was asked Wednesday what his feelings were after watching the film. "Same," he said. "Not better." "Any time we get back on the practice field, then I feel better. Until then, it's tough. But I felt about the same after watching it." Turner had an extended talk Monday with quarterback Jay Cutler, and there was some thought Turner would scale back the playbook to help compensate for the problems. But Turner emphasized that better execution would be the best remedy."

Jay Cutler discusses his diabetes in webisodes

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November 5

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"Every night before Jay Cutler goes to bed, he puts a can of Coke on his nightstand. It usually sits next to a Reese's peanut-butter cup. Cutler keeps the junk food close in case he feels woozy in the middle of the night and needs a sugar fix due to his glucose level dropping suddenly. Like many afflicted with Type 1 diabetes, Cutler injects himself five times a day with insulin to prevent anything like that from happening. Still, Cutler knows it could. It might be in his bedroom on a weeknight or on the field on a Sunday afternoon. But Cutler lives every day knowing it could. That is among the messages Cutler delivers in a webisode to be released later this month -- National Diabetes Month ..."

Cutler takes hits - on field and verbally; Payton honored

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November 2

Daily Southtown

"Bears coach Lovie Smith likes to talk about how losses don't leave a good taste in his mouth, but Sunday's 30-6 win over the Cleveland Browns probably didn't taste too good to Jay Cutler, who was swallowing blood after a blow to the chin from the helmet of Cleveland linebacker Kamerion Wimbley in the second quarter. That drew a 15-yard penalty that kept alive the Bears' first touchdown drive, but the only thing the Bears will have to show for the rest of the hits on Cutler will be some bruises. Cutler bit his tongue on the big hit and didn't stop swallowing blood until the fourth quarter. He was sacked a season-high four times and hit seven times by the worst-ranked defense in the league. ..."

Roughing a quarterback

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November 2

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"The Bears beat up a feeble Cleveland Browns team almost as much as the Browns beat up Jay Cutler on Sunday at Soldier Field. A 24-point victory didn't tell the whole story as Cutler looked more like a mugging victim than a guy who directed a winning effort. ''We have work to do,'' Cutler said. ''It's good to get a win at home, but offensively, we've got to get to work.'' Cutler was sacked four times and took countless other hits, including one that was called roughing the quarterback and kept the Bears' first touchdown drive alive. They had to settle for field goals on their first three forays into Browns territory. Cutler bit his tongue on that play and said he was swallowing blood until ..."

Cutler-Ryan tiff just part of competitive rivalry

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November 2

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler and Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had an up-close discussion along the Browns' sideline when the Bears failed to score after first-and-goal at the 2-yard line, the most egregious of the many red-zone failures. They nearly had to be separated from jawing at one another, but Cutler called it all part of a rivalry he had with Ryan dating back to his days in Denver when the son of Buddy Ryan was running the Oakland Raiders' defense. ''I love Rob Ryan. I think he's always liked and respected me,'' Cutler said. ''He's a great coach. You can just see the energy he brings on the sidelines to those guys. I've always enjoyed competing against him. I think he's one of the ..."

Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler has been a comeback kid

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October 29

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"There is a feeling that no lead is insurmountable when Jay Cutler is your quarterback. This is borne of the swagger with which Cutler plays and the beauty with which he throws. Cutler unquestionably has given the Bears a comeback capacity they did not previously have. In fact, in four of their six games this year, he has led them on a fourth-quarter drive to tie the score or take the lead. But there is strong evidence to suggest it would be a smart move to turn off the TV and fire up the lawn mower if the Bears get down by 14 before the start of the fourth quarter as they were last Sunday in Cincinnati. Cutler has been in 11 games in his career when his team was down by 14 by the end of ..."

Team effort: 'O' also stunk

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October 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"When the defense allows the opponent to go up and down the field and score on the first seven possessions, it's hard to focus too much on the offense. But the Bears were just plain bad. A week after Jay Cutler struggled in the red zone at Atlanta, he couldn't even get the Bears near the goal line this time. The Bears trailed 31-3 at halftime after a late drive reached the 4-yard line and Robbie Gould hit a chip-shot field goal. The Bengals tacked on two more touchdowns before the Bears did anything else offensively. ''Obviously, [play-calling] changes [as the deficit grows], but we had a chance to answer,'' offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. ''We get the ball, we have to answer. Those ..."

Bears' Jay Cutler embarrassed

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October 26

Chicago Tribune

"One of the reasons the Bears traded for Jay Cutler in the off-season, and then made him the fourth-highest-paid quarterback in football last week, is Cutler is supposed to give them a come-from-behind dimension. But there was none of that Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. In fact, Cutler helped the Bengals' lead grow bigger by throwing three interceptions that led to 17 points. Cutler gave no excuses for his play. "We've done it before," he said. "We've been behind. We just have to execute. In those first three drives, we had a chance, but we had penalties and I missed a few throws." Cutler finished with 251 passing yards and a 64.1 passer rating. He completed 26 of 37 passes and threw a ..."

Bears quarterback Jay Cutler rents Lake Forest house, has 2 Colorado properties on the market

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

"Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is renting a three-bedroom house in Lake Forest for $3,750 a month. Cutler, 26, was traded to the Bears from Denver in April, but he has not yet purchased anything in the Chicago area. Built in 2007, Cutler's house has 3 1/2 baths, two stone fireplaces, hardwood floors, an English basement with high ceilings and a gourmet kitchen. Cutler's house, which also had been for sale, was originally for rent for $3,950 a month. Cutler owns other properties out of state. He continues to own a four-bedroom, 7,516-square-foot house on 1.5 acres in Parker, Colo., which he purchased in 2005 for $1.34 million and currently has on the market for $1.675 million. Also, ..."

Chicago Bears played fair with Jay Cutler and Cedric Benson

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October 25

Chicago Tribune

columnist Dan Pompei

"If you believe everything you hear, the Bears have been doing some balling -- lowballing Jay Cutler and blackballing Cedric Benson. Neither is true. The Bears did get Cutler at a very reasonable price when they signed him to a two-year contract extension, but Cutler won in the deal, too, with $29,377,000 in new money. And he stacks up very well with his peers. As for Benson, the Bears never tried to prevent him from working in the NFL. But they were honest with people like Bengals coach Marvin Lewis who called and asked what led to the Bears cutting the former fourth pick in the draft. Part of that honesty included an expression of faith in Benson's ability. Coach Lovie Smith told Lewis ..."

Red-zone errors a red flag

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October 24

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"The red zone turned into a no-man's-land for the Bears' offense last Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. And if the team wants to get back on a winning streak, it will need to shore up its problems in that crucial area between the 20-yard line and the goal line. What can you say about the dreadful, dismal, disjointed red-zone performance the Bears produced against the Falcons? Only that it was spectacularly bad. ''I have never been with a football team that was inside the 10-yard line three times and came out with no points,'' general manager Jerry Angelo said. ''That is a first for me.'' Quarterback Jay Cutler threw an interception, his league-leading third of the season in the red zone. ..."

On Football: Win-win situation

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October 23

Washington Times

"The Chicago Bears got Jay Cutler and are so thrilled by his play that they needed only five games to sign him to a contract extension through 2013. The Denver Broncos got Kyle Orton and are the NFL's surprise team, starting 6-0 with Orton throwing nine touchdowns and one interception. It almost never happens. Two teams make a huge trade - this one was gigantic - and both teams benefit. This isn't Miami fleecing the Washington Redskins for Jason Taylor (two draft picks) or Dallas overpaying for receiver Roy Williams and getting 30 catches and one touchdown in return. Orton and three picks went to Denver. Cutler and one pick went to Chicago. It was a risky deal for both teams. Denver gave up ..."

With defense ailing, Cutler key for Bears

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October 23

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The "Benson Bowl" between the Bengals and Bears Sunday may come down to a lot more than running back Cedric Benson, who was drafted No. 4 by Chicago in 2005 and now plays for Cincinnati. The beauty of sports is that you never know who the hero is going to be. The one staple in the NFL is that the defense usually must play well if a team is going to win. Chicago's defense is trying to recover from some tough blows. The Bears (3-2) lost superstar linebacker Brian Urlacher to a season-ending wrist injury in their opener against Green Bay. "When you lose the face of your franchise - first game, first half of your season - it's tough," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "You have to go through an ..."

Will new deal for Jay Cutler affect Brett Favre's contract situation?

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October 22

St. Paul Pioneer Press

columnist Charley Walters

"Agent Bus Cook has worked out a $30 million, two-year contract extension for Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Cook also represents Vikings QB Brett Favre, who is signed through next season on a two-year deal for $25 million. Cutler is 26; Favre is 40. If Favre remains healthy and decides to return next season (owner Zygi Wilf has said he expects him to return), as sly as Cook is, he's not expected to try to do a new deal for Favre, who is having a Pro Bowl year. That's because Wilf has given Favre a fair-market deal. Meanwhile, Cutler's contract would bind him to the Bears through 2013. Amazing thought: If the Vikings (6-0) were to go on to win this season's Super Bowl, and if Favre ..."

Broncos' Orton not concerned about Cutler's new deal

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October 22

Denver Post

"Don't get any ideas. Just because the Chicago Bears gave Jay Cutler a two-year contract extension worth $30 million doesn't mean the Broncos will initiate in-season discussions on a new deal with quarterback Kyle Orton. Yes, Orton has outperformed Cutler, the man he was traded for (along with draft picks) during the offseason. And yes, Orton is in the final year of a contract that is paying him a mere $995,000 this year. And sure, Orton would eventually like a long-term deal that would keep him the Broncos' quarterback until the end of his career. But Orton said the only time he thinks about his contract situation is when people ask him about it. "Those discussions are for the Broncos or ..."

Lock it up: Cutler, Bears happy together

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October 22

Chicago Sun-Times

"It was with a smile that Jay Cutler congratulated fellow quarterbacks Eli Manning and Philip Rivers as they pulled down blockbuster contracts this summer. Cutler was able to smile about his own deal Wednesday. He signed a two-year, $30 million, extension Tuesday night that gives him protection against the possibility of a lockout in 2011, something he said is on the minds of all players. General manager Jerry Angelo had said the Bears didn't plan on addressing a deal with Cutler during the season; he was signed through 2011 on his rookie contract when they acquired him in a trade with the Denver Broncos. But agent Bus Cook approached the team, and they quickly found common ground that made ..."

Nothing like forward progress

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October 22

Chicago Sun-Times

"Now that Jay Cutler has been signed to a long-term contract that makes him the fifth-highest-paid player in the NFL behind Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Tom Brady, the Bears have to re-evaluate the way they do business. They have to rethink their core values to ensure the franchise's new franchise player has everything he needs to be successful moving forward. These are uncharted waters for the Bears. Building a team around a quarterback of Cutler's ability shouldn't prove as difficult as acquiring one. But it won't be as easy as many anticipate, either, if for no other reason than this new era will force a re-evaluation of many of the philosophies the organization has ..."

Cutler deal good for both him and Chicago Bears

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October 22

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"For a reputed gunslinger like Jay Cutler, this was like putting the pistol back in the holster. The equivalent of Cutler checking down to a 10-yard completion to the running back instead of throwing deep into double coverage in case something big happens. This was the smartest read the quarterback has made as a Bear. "It's fair for me, fair for the Bears," Cutler said of his two-year contract extension worth $30 million overall, including $20 million guaranteed. Fair to say nobody's complaining about Cutler's decision-making today. Partly for salary cap reasons, Cutler will receive some of the new money this season. He now will earn $16 million for 2009 spread between a signing bonus and ..."

Kyle high and Jay low in '09

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October 21

Chicago Sun-Times

"Monday morning quarterbacking is easy --about as easy as Sunday afternoon quarterbacking is hard. But we got some stuff here, folks. The Bears are quarterback Jay Cutler's team for the next half-decade, for instance. On Tuesday night, Bears general manager Jerry Angelo made it official just five games into the season, getting Cutler to sign a contract extension that will keep him in Chicago through 2013 and will earn him Manning-brothers-type loot. We're talking $20million in up-front bonus money on a contract with a total value of close to $30 million. So there's that. But there's also this: The quarterback the Bears tossed to the Denver Broncos as a low-level substitute in their ..."

Passing the bucks to Cutler

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October 21

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Bears lengthened the Jay Cutler era by at least two more seasons Tuesday, when they agreed to a contract extension with the quarterback that will keep him in Chicago through 2013. The deal makes Cutler the NFL's fifth-highest-paid quarterback behind Eli Manning of the New York Giants, Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Philip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers. Cutler will get $20 million of the nearly $30 million extension guaranteed in the form of bonus money. It's a win-win deal for both sides. Cutler, 26, is still under contract through 2011 on the six-year, $47.86 million rookie deal he signed with the Denver Broncos. Now he gets an ..."

Bears extend Jay Cutler's contract 2 years

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October 21

Chicago Tribune

"It didn't take long for Bears management to see that they wanted Jay Cutler to be their quarterback for the long term. The team signed Cutler to a two-year contract extension late Tuesday that will give the Bears rights to Cutler for four years after this season. The rookie contract he signed with the Broncos went through 2011. The deal calls for Cutler to be paid $20 million in guaranteed money and $30 million in new money for 2012 and 2013, according to ESPN's John Clayton. Cutler has maintained that money was not a factor in his desire to be traded from the Broncos. The Bears acquired him and a fifth-round pick in trade last April for Kyle Orton, two first-round picks and a third."

Kyle Orton has great "D" Jay Cutler would have killed for

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October 17

Denver Post

columnist Jim Armstrong

"How much easier is life for Kyle Orton, the proud possessor of a legit defense, than it was for Jay Cutler? The answer, my friends, is blowin' in the wins. Orton is 2-0 when the Broncos don't score 20 points. Cutler was 2-12 in those games. . . . In case there was any doubt, we give you the stat of the year in the Valley of the Dove: Broncos opponents have converted two third downs in 30 second-half attempts. And keep in mind, they've faced Carson Palmer, Tony Romo and a man named Brady. . . . Paid 30 bucks to park near Invesco a few weeks ago. I only mention it because a season ticket at the 50 cost $31.50 in 1960. . . . A league with a franchise called the Redskins won't allow Rush ..."

Earl Bennett and Jay Cutler on the same page

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October 16

Chicago Tribune

"As Bears fans and media continue to dissect the personality of Jay Cutler, second-year wide receiver Earl Bennett provides some insight into what makes the Pro Bowl quarterback tick. "Our relationship goes past the field," Bennett told a Bears Press Pass event audience in Soldier Field's United Club on Tuesday night. "Jay and I met my freshman year in college (at Vanderbilt), and he kind of took me under his wing. He was pretty much a big brother to me. ... He ended up coming back and throwing to me for my Pro Day (workout). We have the same agent, Bus Cook. And when Jay got traded here, we were both excited." With regard to Cutler's personality, Bennett said: "He's a great guy. He's one ..."

Looks like a QB draw

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October 8

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Neil Hayes

"Few could have predicted the biggest trade of the NFL's offseason and the most stunning in Bears' history would start so spectacularly for both teams. Kyle Orton and the Broncos are 4-0, and the Bears are 3-1 with Jay Cutler, prompting debates about which team got the better of the deal. While the early returns have not produced a conclusive answer, this much is true: The Bears are a better team with Cutler than they were with Orton, and the Orton-led Broncos are vastly superior to the version that Cutler headlined last season for reasons that extend beyond the quarterback position. Rarely do blockbuster deals like this produce happy endings, and after four games it's too early to predict ..."

Jay puts on happy face

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October 7

Chicago Sun-Times

"When quarterbacks say it's not about the stats and all they care about is winning, they're telling the truth. They believe it, and they want you to believe it, too. It's also true that quarterbacks can recite their passer ratings down to the sixth digit after the decimal point. That's what makes me wonder how long Jay Cutler will put on a smiley face after throwing for 141 yards in a game. A quarterback who threw for more than 4,500 yards and 25 touchdowns last season may not always be satisfied engineering an offense that Sunday gained fewer yards than the special-teams return units. It may not be as pressing of a concern as the continued improvement of the offensive line or depth at ..."

Just spin, baby: Jay goes Elway route

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October 5

Chicago Sun-Times

"Quarterback Jay Cutler took a page from the legend he was supposed to replace in Denver. John Elway may have been playing in Super Bowl XXXII when his famous ''helicopter run'' took place, but Cutler scored a similar touchdown in the first quarter Sunday. He dove at the goal line, leaping over cornerback William James, and was spun in the air on a shot by linebacker Julian Peterson that nearly jarred the ball loose. Cutler came down in the end zone for a five-yard score that tied the game at 7. So, was he trying to mimic the Hall of Famer he was originally drafted to replace? ''I was not,'' he said. ''I was just trying to get in there. If I could've just dove in there nice and quietly, I ..."

Forte, yards, dash

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October 5

Chicago Sun-Times

"After Jay Cutler helicoptered into the end zone for the Bears' first touchdown, looking like a pinwheel on a beanie in the process, you knew this was going to be a fun day. Maybe the circus wasn't here, but the Lions were. And a team doesn't go 1-19 in its last 20 games -- 2-26 since the middle of the 2007 season -- by being anything but a fun-for-all launching pad. En route to a 48-24 wipeout of the now 1-3 Lions, the Bears found their dormant running game. And leading the way was former rookie sensation Matt Forte, now a second-year veteran, who had gained but 150 yards in the first three games of this season. ''He's got a lot of confidence,'' Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner said ..."

QB Jay Cutler impresses Bears' coaches with sensible performance

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October 5

Chicago Tribune

"Jay Cutler's numbers were not particularly sexy: 18-for-28 for 141 yards and two touchdown passes. But the Pro Bowl quarterback wowed his coaches with his sensible performance that included no turnovers and a passer rating of 100.4. "He didn't turn the ball over, and the way the game was, we had great field position. So we had a short field," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "A lot of our points came from that. Offensively, we never got in the rhythm or the sync that we wanted to. But Jay played very well." The average starting point for Bears drives was the Detroit 46. "It makes a big difference. The defense did a great job," said Cutler, who sacrificed his body on a 5-yard ..."

Chicago Bears beat Detroit Lions 48-24

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October 5

Chicago Tribune

"The Bears were outgained and shown up by a rookie hotshot quarterback. Their offense was atrocious on third downs, and they lost their two best wide receivers to injuries in the course of the game. But this one will feel good, really good, for every minute of two weeks. Winning 48-24 covers up a lot of sins -- even if the opponent is the Lions. "To win three straight, win a division game at home and go into a bye it's huge for us," said Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who threw for only 141 yards but managed the game well. The Bears followed their typical blueprint. Bumble around in the initial stages of the game, let the opponent get a little puffy-chested and then cut their hearts out in ..."

Bears' Cutler happy to wear pink for Olsen

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October 1

Chicago Sun-Times

"Greg Olsen simply had to ask Jay Cutler for help in a project dear to his heart -- breast cancer awareness -- and the quarterback agreed to go pink Sunday. They will be joined by Lance Briggs, among others, in wearing pink cleats, sweatbands, towels and gloves in the game against the Detroit Lions as part of the NFL's ''A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives'' campaign. Olsen's mother, Sue Olsen, is a breast-cancer survivor after being diagnosed in 2001. ''I know it means a lot to Greg with his mom,'' Cutler said. ''So he asked me probably a month ago if I'd wear the pink cleats. It should be interesting.'' Some of the equipment will be auctioned off for charity after the game. ..."

Rich Gannon likens Jay Cutler to Brett Favre

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October 1

Chicago Tribune

"Jay Cutler might not look like Brett Favre in the mirror, but he sure looks like him on game tape. Just ask CBS analyst and former NFL quarterback Rich Gannon. "When you look at the young quarterbacks in the game and ask which one resembles Favre the most, it would be without question Jay Cutler," Gannon said. "There are striking similarities between them in terms of aggressive nature and style, arm strength, ability to extend the play with their legs and competitiveness. Unfortunately, the one similarity that also is striking is he sometimes can be overly aggressive and sometimes take the unnecessary risk."

Rallies bolster belief system

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September 28

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"The Bears once were a glumly predictable team with an air of inevitability about them. A mere 13 points would seem like an insurmountable deficit. Those days are gone. On Sunday, the Bears rallied after being down 13-0 and came back again from a two-point deficit with just over five minutes to play to win 25-19. No opposing lead is safe with the new-look Bears and their franchise quarterback, Jay Cutler, who has led them from behind in all three games. The Bears would be unbeaten if the defense had managed to protect a late lead in the season-opener at Green Bay, when they allowed a 50-yard scoring strike with 1:11 left. Cutler was awful that night, but he rallied the team to a ..."

Bears' wide receivers making Jay Cutler look good

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September 28

Chicago Tribune

columnist David Haugh

"If Jerry Angelo is writing that thesis on his belief that the quarterback makes the wide receiver in the NFL, a theory Angelo brought Jay Cutler to Chicago to prove, then some minor edits are recommended. Everybody expected Cutler to make the Bears' wide receivers better. But a week after Johnny Knox provided the fourth-quarter heroics, a second straight victory resulted from a Bears wide receiver making Cutler look pretty good. Next thing you know, the TV show "MythBusters" will start staffing Bears games. This time it was Devin Hester leaping high to catch a quick slant from Cutler and running away from two Seahawks defensive backs for a 36-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that ..."

Tomlin gives Bears, Cutler credit, rues Reed's misses

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September 21

Chicago Sun-Times

"There weren't many among the more than 60,000 on Sunday at Soldier Field who thought the Bears ever had things under control, not until the final 15 seconds. In that time, Robbie Gould kicked a 44-yard field goal to break a tie, and Craig Steltz recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to give the Bears a 17-14 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers. ''I have to tip my hat to Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears,'' Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. ''They fought to the end and found a way to win it. We have to make adjustments and move on. ''I thought Jay Cutler faced pressure and made great decisions. He did enough to win. On third-down plays, Cutler did a nice ..."

In case there was any doubt, Bears finally have a quarterback

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September 21

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Rick Telander

"'I think they brought me in for a reason,'' Jay Cutler said after the Bears' thrilling 17-14 win over the Steelers. They did. And, folks, this was it. Here was the big-time performance that everyone -- Jerry Angelo, Ron Turner, Lovie Smith, the ghost of Sid Luckman, all living Bears fans -- had expected when the former Denver Broncos quarterback signed with Chicago last spring. Cutler and his offense started so badly in the first quarter at Soldier Field that dread leaked from the gray sky even before rain came down. Eight yards passing? Eleven net yards of offense? During that first 15 minutes of play, the fear wasn't that the Bears would lose this game and go 0-2. It was that they were ..."

Cutler has big fourth quarter, signature game to avert 0-2 start

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September 21

Chicago Sun-Times

"Every great quarterback needs a defining moment, a signature victory, an extraordinary event that creates instant credibility for teammates and coaches and fans and foes. Jay Cutler needed it more than most on a rainy afternoon at Soldier Field when his first season as savior somehow looked fleeting and hopeless and bound for disappointment. A drive here, another one there, a missed field goal and then a second, and a final glorious kick, that's all it took, and somehow, some way, the Bears and Cutler turned turmoil to tranquility. The Bears became the first team to beat the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers, winning 17-14 on Robbie Gould's 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left as ..."

Jay Cutler's new sense of calm brings Chicago Bears some peace

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September 21

Chicago Tribune

"The Bears insist Jay Cutler was as in control of himself and his faculties last week as he was Sunday. Their offensive coordinator and their best tight end seem willing to take the debate to Congress until the world believes it. So you can stand there all day and argue that the man who threw four interceptions against the Packers in Week 1 looked nothing like the man who carved up the defending Super Bowl champions in Week 2, but what's the point? What everyone can agree on is that the Bears beat the Steelers 17-14 thanks to Cutler's precision and the imprecision of Pittsburgh's kicker. And after the Green Bay debacle, those are the only facts that matter. Cutler got his first victory as a ..."

Cutler bounces back strong against Steelers

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September 21

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"The gunslinger beat the defending Super Bowl champions using a pop-gun Sunday. Chicago's Jay Cutler, he of the daredvil tendencies that resulted in four interceptions in the season opener, looked like a franchise quarterback in rallying the Bears to a 17-14 win over the Steelers at Soldier Field. Cutler was 27 of 38 for 236 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against the NFL's top-ranked defense from a year ago. Cutler tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to rookie Johnny Knox that made it 14-14 in the fourth quarter. He later drove the Bears 41 yards in eight plays, setting up Robbie Gould's game-winning 44-yard field goal. "Yeah, I think they brought me in here for a reason," said ..."

Bears banking on Cutler

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September 20

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"For a guy who is either the solution to a problem as chronic in Chicago as political cronyism or is the most villainous gunslinger in the Windy City since Al Capone, Jay Cutler couldn't have picked a worse time to set a dubious personal record. It came last Sunday night when the new Chicago quarterback threw a career-high four interceptions in the Bears' 21-15 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Cutler's performance triggered criticism -- two former NFL head coaches ripped him for not taking more of the blame following the loss -- and it may have made Bears fans nostalgic for the Vince Evans and Mike Phipps years. But as the Steelers watched film of Cutler's first game for the Bears last week, ..."

Cutler, fans needed when Bears meet Steelers

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September 18

Chicago Sun-Times

"This would be a good week to play the Lions, don't you think? That Matt Millen-legacy football mess from Motown could visit Soldier Field, do its usual chicken-without-a-head dance and help our city forget about Jay Cutler's four interceptions. I mean, if you can't beat the Lions, just fold the tent and find a new career. But, unfortunately, it's the 2008 NFL champion Steelers who will be coming to Soldier Field on Sunday. And if the Bears don't show marked improvement --particularly on offense -- over what they did Sunday in Green Bay against the Packers, they will be 0-2 and a good bet to be 0-3 after traveling to Seattle next week to play the resurgent Seahawks. ''Super Bowl champions ..."

Lovie gets behind his QB

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September 17

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jay Cutler has been anointed the Bears' savior by many, and after one bad game Sunday night at Green Bay, it appears he's the one who needs to be saved. The organization was caught off guard Tuesday by comments made by former head coaches Jim Mora Sr. and Mike Martz, a mentor to Bears coach Lovie Smith, who clearly was aggravated by the situation. Mora called Cutler ''completely immature'' for his demeanor in the postgame news conference and Martz said ''he just doesn't get it'' in the debut of ''The Coaches Show'' on NFL Network. Cutler was short with his answers, but otherwise nothing stood out from the Q&A session. ''I looked at Jay's comments that he made,'' Smith said. ''And it's a ..."

The city that whines

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September 17

Chicago Sun-Times

"If you want to criticize Jay Cutler for being careless with the football, grab a soapbox and a blow horn and stand in line. If you want to express your frustration after his brain-dead performance in an opening-night loss to the Packers, start your own blog and type in all caps. Otherwise, let's cut him some slack, OK. The Bears' new franchise quarterback is playing in a tough town where actions are supposed to speak louder than words and all anybody wants to talk about is his nonverbal communication. Since when did everybody become so sensitive? This is the City of Broad Shoulders, not the city of People Bitching About Body Language. This is the City That Works, not the City That Whines ..."

Cutler's face Bears watching

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September 16

Chicago Sun-Times

"One game into the Jay Cutler era the Bears have discovered their guy is the Lon Chaney of NFL quarterbacks, a ''Man of a Thousand Faces'' who seemingly never tries to disguise his feelings. ''He's an emotional guy,'' Bears running back Matt Forte said. ''I make faces, too. When I am frustrated out there, or if I am happy, you are going to know it by body [language] or my face. He was definitely having a tough time [Sunday night], and you could probably read that on his face. That is normal with anybody. Jay is resilient, and I am sure he will come back and do a lot better.'' Cutler is the quarterback equivalent of former NFL coach Jon Gruden, whose crazed facial expressions earned him the ..."

Someone must tell Jay Cutler to wise up

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September 16

Chicago Tribune

"By that I mean, who is going to tell him? Who is going to get in Jay Cutler's face and inform him the Green Bay debacle was ridiculous? The four interceptions in Sunday's opener were a career high, but the poor decision-making and the recklessness were nothing new. He did that periodically with the Broncos. It's up to someone in the Bears' organization to tell him that being blessed physically is not a license to throw risky passes over and over again. But for the life of me, I can't figure out who that person would be. It's also up to someone in the organization to tell Cutler that his on- and off-field demeanor needs to change. Some TV analysts were annoyed by Cutler's attitude in the ..."

With Cutler in starring role, Urlacher era may be over

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September 15

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Neil Hayes

"The Brian Urlacher era ended on the same night the Jay Cutler era began. That's one of the few things that seem clear after a game that was so like a midair collision that it will take days and weeks of sifting through the wreckage to find the black box that tells us what it all means. Our last image of Brian Urlacher in 2009 is of him planting Aaron Rodgers with a hit that was as clean as it was vicious. It may be one of the final scenes of a Hall of Fame career. Tick, tock. Urlacher isn't getting any younger, and the days when the Bears were built around middle linebackers have ended. Ding, dong. As painful as it might be for Bears fans to hear, the bells are tolling for Urlacher. He ..."

Cutler in bad QB company with Bears

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September 15

Chicago Sun-Times

"There isn't a lot of great quarterback tradition with the Bears for Jay Cutler to join. He became a part of what little history there is at that position by throwing a career-high four interceptions in Sunday's 21-15 loss at Green Bay. Cutler became the 11th Bears' quarterback since 1970 to give four away in a game, joining the likes of Henry Burris, Bobby Douglass, Vince Evans (2), Brian Griese, Rex Grossman, Jim Harbaugh, Gary Huff, Erik Kramer, Mike Phipps and Mike Tomczak (2). Of course, Kyle Orton slung five to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2005. ''We talked to Jay like we did all of our team on anything that we didn't feel comfortable with what they did,'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''Jay ..."

Lot of flings and misses from Cutler

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September 14

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Rick Telander

"Is the preseason really that different from the regular season? If it is, Bears people, just cancel it next year. No TV, no stats, no scores, nothing. I don't know who the Jay Cutler who played in the first half Sunday night was, but he sure wasn't the one who dazzled us all August. ''It's still a learning process,'' Cutler said after his ugly debut loss to the Green Bay Packers. Three interceptions in the first 30 minutes? For a guy who had never thrown three in a game? And then he throws four in 60 minutes? The third of that quartet -- oh, there could've been more, folks -- was a really bad one that even a high school quarterback should've avoided. Scrambling, off-balance, late, down the ..."

Cutler has big rewards, but risks

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September 14

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"There has long been a debate in the NFL about exactly what you want out of a quarterback. Clearly, a playmaker is preferred, but for some teams - the Bears forever it seems - the game manager always has been preferred. Now, the gunslinger vs. caretaker argument in a Bears offense can be about as compelling and nearly as absurd as the Three Stooges' disputation regarding heredity versus environment. But with Jay Cutler suffering a first-half nightmare with no fewer than three interceptions, it's worth revisiting the reason the Bears wanted a quarterback who could make plays, albeit a guy who tried to make too many in the first half of this game. Teams that play great defense -and the Bears ..."