Week 15: Bears (7-6) @ Browns (4-9) Noon, FOX

[Sammy Sofa]

Sorry if it was posted before the game, I saw similar reports posted here but not this detailed:

 

All week the Chicago Bears have stood publicly behind the decision to start Jay Cutler against the Cleveland Browns instead of Josh McCown, but privately that is not the case.

 

One Bears player told ESPN's Bob Holtzman that Cutler threw a number of interceptions in practice this week and that it's been weeks since McCown -- who leads the NFL in QBR -- has thrown any. The player said with each mistake Cutler made the defense grew more and more frustrated.

 

Sources said that players bit their tongues this week out of respect for coach Marc Trestman but that some defensive players are likely to speak up if Cutler doesn't play well Sunday.

 

Cutler is aware of how the locker room feels and because of the internal division Cutler has more pressure on him Sunday than he's had in a long time.

 

 

Wait, wait, wait...THE DEFENSE? That is hysterical. Who the [expletive] are they to gripe about who is starting with how horrendous they've been? The offense has worked with Cutler or McCown, yet they're bitching like they're not doing dumb [expletive] like giving up the TD at the end of today's game or getting gashed by nearly ever run game out there?

 

I think the funniest thing is that the defense hasn't been intercepting McCown in practice and their players complaining about Cutler really highlights that fact.

 

Plus isn't in practice where you're going to be trying stuff out or shake off as much rust as possible?

[Guest]

Packers getting run

[Wilson A2000]

Sorry if it was posted before the game, I saw similar reports posted here but not this detailed:

 

All week the Chicago Bears have stood publicly behind the decision to start Jay Cutler against the Cleveland Browns instead of Josh McCown, but privately that is not the case.

 

One Bears player told ESPN's Bob Holtzman that Cutler threw a number of interceptions in practice this week and that it's been weeks since McCown -- who leads the NFL in QBR -- has thrown any. The player said with each mistake Cutler made the defense grew more and more frustrated.

 

Sources said that players bit their tongues this week out of respect for coach Marc Trestman but that some defensive players are likely to speak up if Cutler doesn't play well Sunday.

 

Cutler is aware of how the locker room feels and because of the internal division Cutler has more pressure on him Sunday than he's had in a long time.

 

players can be meatballs, too.

 

Jay played like Achilles today.

 

Looking over his game logs, Jay hasn't had a stretch of 4-5 games where he has really played well if I remember correctly in Chicago. He needs to get hot and stay hot. He can make himself some money and get the rest of the team behind him. A playoff run would be fantastic.

 

I give Trestman credit for staying behind Cutler verbally. Obviously he saw practice this week and is no idiot. Sounds like maybe he did have some questions in the back of his mind. Either way the interceptions need to stop. You won't beat the good teams, especially in the playoffs should they get there doing what he did today. I understand he had a great rating, but good teams will make the Bears pay.

[Wilson A2000]

Plus isn't in practice where you're going to be trying stuff out or shake off as much rust as possible?

 

I don't think you try stuff out in practice this late in the season. Shaking off rust, yes. But if throwing interceptions is considered shaking off rust, Jay has been shaking off rust his whole tenure in Chicago.

[rawaction]

So with the Lions playing twice before the next Bears game, there is a wide range of scenarios the Bears could be playing with when they step on the field:

 

If the Lions win twice, the Bears will need to win to stay alive going into week 17

If the Lions lose twice, the Bears can clinch the NFC North with a win against Philly (sorry, the Packers will need to lose or tie once as well and they are currently losing to Dallas)

If the Lions split their games, the Bears will need to win to control their own destiny heading into week 17

 

Pretty crazy, the Lions could be eliminated before Week 17.

[NOLA]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

[Wilson A2000]

Kyle Long on Twitter disagrees with Jay Glazer that there were Bears who might have wanted McCown back

[Guest]

that vikings loss is the absolute worst

[Sammy Sofa]

Plus isn't in practice where you're going to be trying stuff out or shake off as much rust as possible?

 

I don't think you try stuff out in practice this late in the season. Shaking off rust, yes. But if throwing interceptions is considered shaking off rust, Jay has been shaking off rust his whole tenure in Chicago.

 

Not trying out new plays; I mean trying out in terms of seeing what an injured player coming back can do. The guy is known for being able to make big throws, so aren't you going to see if he can still air it out and have him toss up shots like that in practice?

 

Nobody's saying he's never going to throw picks, but this whole "JOSH MCCOWN DOESN'T TURN IT OVER" meme is ridiculous, especially if we're now extrapolating it to practice performances. McCown has had a very good run and it's great the times he did turn it over it's been called back, but the guy didn't suddenly outgrow all of the years he's turned the ball over.

[bukie]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

Cade McNown is not a better option than Jay Cutler, no matter how many meatballs say differently.

[Sammy Sofa]

I understand he had a great rating, but good teams will make the Bears pay.

 

Both picks lead to 10 points, so there's really not too much more teams can make them pay unless they're punching Jay in his broken kidneys on the way back.

[NOLA]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

Cade McNown is not a better option than Jay Cutler, no matter how many meatballs say differently.

 

OK, like I said, I get that. Going forward, how is Jay definitely your guy though?

[Sammy Sofa]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB?

 

As opposed to...what? There's always a ceiling.

 

He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

 

The beyond stupid hate that he inspires.

[Guest]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

 

the fact that you compare him to Tony Romo and mean it in a negative way indicates you should probably just give up on football.

[Sammy Sofa]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

Cade McNown is not a better option than Jay Cutler, no matter how many meatballs say differently.

 

OK, like I said, I get that. Going forward, how is Jay definitely your guy though?

 

He's better in the red zone and he's more likely to give you the big play and he's more likely to bring you back if you're down.

[BigSlick]

Gotta say, its really cathartic to see the Packers struggle with a terrible QB and terrible offense. They had, what, 16-17 years of straight awesome QB play? This is wonderful. (its a small taste though)

[Wilson A2000]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

 

People like him because he has talent, more than any Bears QB in history. The Bears have been waiting for someone like him for years. I will say that at age 30, people do keep waiting for him to reach his potential. You can say that Flacco finally reached his potential last year and he is a late bloomer so to speak, and maybe with the right staff and offensive weapons Cutler can do the same. I'm sure I will be ridiculed for saying this, but it seems that when Cutler makes interceptions, it isn't like the defender made an incredible play and you just tip your hat to him. Maybe it is the meatball in me, but so many of them seem unavoidable.

 

The meatballs like me have some stupid reasons for hating Cutler and I think people defend him because his haters are just way off most of the time. So the backlash gets reversed into defending him more than he should be. Let's face it, he was a jerk for forcing a trade in Denver, hates the media, and is kind of a prick. You get a ton of hate for doing that.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Wilson A2000

[Guest]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

Cade McNown is not a better option than Jay Cutler, no matter how many meatballs say differently.

 

OK, like I said, I get that. Going forward, how is Jay definitely your guy though?

 

he is a good quarterback. one does not simply let a good quarterback go without his imminent replacement in hand. mccown is not an acceptable replacement.

[Banedon]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

Cade McNown is not a better option than Jay Cutler, no matter how many meatballs say differently.

 

OK, like I said, I get that. Going forward, how is Jay definitely your guy though?

 

No, you don't get it. Josh McCown. Cade McNown. Different people.

[Sammy Sofa]

Let's face it, he was a jerk for forcing a trade in Denver, hates the media, and is kind of a prick. You get a ton of hate for doing that.

 

He should be beloved for all of those things here, especially for the first two.

[Banedon]

Jay quotes:

 

"I started off rusty," Cutler said. "Had some throws that were high. The guys rallied around me, they played really well, made some big-time catches, the offensive line played great. So it was good to get back out there, a really good team win."

 

Asked if he felt more pressure than usual given the controversy over the benching of McCown, Cutler said, "Yeah, I'd be lying if I didn't say there was, with everything on the outside and as well as Josh has played.

 

"But this was the plan all along. No one really flinched in our building, everyone kind of stuck to it. Josh was super-supportive. ... (The guys) rallied behind me when we started off a little bit slow. It was fun getting back out there with them. I'm looking forward to moving on from this week."

 

Trestman quotes:

 

"He had to handle a lot this week, probably more than at any time in his career," Trestman said of Cutler. "His teammates had his back the whole time. You have to be mentally tough to do what he did today, very mentally tough. Not only to get through the week, but to get through a game in harsh conditions, and throwing two picks in the first half -- it says a lot about the man."

 

"Really a very satisfying win," Trestman said. "There was a lot of noise around our team this week, and they hung together.

 

"We played well enough today to put ourselves in position to compete for the division. But we have to play better to win it."

[UMFan83]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

 

I love him because he's extremely talented, and while I'll admit he's not the greatest QB ever and has his issues, at his best he's among the best QBs in the league, a tough SOB and makes throws that I used to have wet dreams about in grade school. But I think really won me over was his personality (which admittedly has little to do with whether he should be the QB). Part because the media has decided that Jay Cutler is an aloof jackass who doesn't care about anything, and hey that's our dude, stfu. Also because his appearances on the Jay Cutler radio show prove that he's actually a pretty cool dude.

[Guest]

and he just led his team to 3 straight TDs in the 4th quarter against a decent defense when his team needed it most. Jay proved that he is the QB of the present and future today.

[Wilson A2000]

I swear, I just don't understand the love for Jay Cutler on here, or some Bears fans I meet in person for that matter. I'm not saying that McNown should be starting or anything like that, but is there not a ceiling for how good the Bears can be with Jay at QB? He just makes a ton of terrible Romo-like decisions over and over. I am not trying to trash the guy, but I just genuinely want to understand the defiant love for the guy.

Cade McNown is not a better option than Jay Cutler, no matter how many meatballs say differently.

 

OK, like I said, I get that. Going forward, how is Jay definitely your guy though?

 

Because he's playing well in this system and will continue to with a better line, a stud Jeffery, and weapons all around. QBs like him don't grow on trees.

 

Who else are the Bears going to get? If he wants $19 million he won't be the Bears's guy, but he won't get that until after the Bears franchise him and he hits the open market for Tennessee.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Wilson A2000

[BigSlick]

I think Jay Cutler is a cool dude who would be a fun guy to have brews with and make cool fist bumps with