Poor Jay Cutler. Yeah, I said it. And I have no problem in saying it again. Poor. Jay. Cutler. The quarterback who took more sacks than any other quarterback in the league. The one who missed a game due to a concussion that occurred because of a nine-sack game in which his offensive line played as if it had never been instructed to throw a block before. The one who was knocked down more and hit harder than any other signal caller in the NFL was knocked down--and out--for good in the NFC title game. Cutler suddenly became Public Enemy No. 1 for Chicago football fans. Don't mention that Cutler …

It took all of three plays for Jay Cutler to validate his presence in the playoffs. Cutler's first postseason pass was a 58-yard missile to tight end Greg Olsen that went for six, setting the tone for the laugher that was to come at the lake front. Let that sink in for just one moment. The history of Chicago Bears quarterbacks isn't steeped in lore, which makes it odd for ESPN columnist Rick Reilly to question Cutler's lack of a quarterbacking idol as a child growing up a Bears fan. Cutler would be throwing a football in a parking lot today had he modeled his game after Dave Krieg, Steve …

It almost feels as if the Chicago Bears are entering a trap game with the underwhelming Seattle Seahawks coming to town this weekend. Of course, that whole win-or-go-home thing that comes with playoff football changes the feeling slightly. When Seattle last came to Chicago, the Bears were flying high with a 4-1 record while the Seahawks were stumbling out of the gate to start 2-2. Judging by how the game ended, you would have thought the roles were reversed. It's rare when an NFL gets a chance at redemption. Throw in the incentive of a spot in the conference championship—in Chicago no less—…

The Chicago Bears sent a clear message to their fans Sunday. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. Fans who called for head coach Lovie Smith to play his team's starters in hopes they would eliminate the Green Bay Packers and give the Bears a clean sweep of the NFC North got exactly what they wanted. Well, almost everything. The Green Bay Packers squeaked out a win against the Bears, winning 10-3 at Lambeau Field in one of the ugliest games all season. For three quarters, the Packers didn't play with much urgency. It was as if Mike McCarthy didn't receive the memo that a …

Sixty minutes. Seventy-two points. More than 700 yards of total offense. And all I can take away from the Chicago Bears' 38-34 win against the New York Jets are three simple words. Mechanics, be damned. Quarterback Jay Cutler was throwing across his body, completing passes left and right to move the chains. He threw off his back foot and landed the hands of Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and Matt Forte which led to touchdowns. He scrambled out of the pocket, released the pigskin from more angles than a crafty left-handed middle reliever and still had enough zip to get it to his open receivers …

The Chicago Bears spent much of this past week sending mixed signals. "We're concerned about the conditions of the playing field," was the initial reaction to seeing TCF Bank Field blanketed by snow and ice. "We have no choice, so we'll play wherever we're told to play," was another reaction later in the week. Either way, the Bears need to come together as a united front and deliver the following message—in unison. "Just win, baby." Now, Lovie Smith will never be confused for Al Davis. The Bears head coach and Oakland Raiders owner are as polar opposites as one could get in the NFL. Still, …

The New England Patriots debunked the old adage that suggests it is better to be lucky than good. And all it took was 30 minutes. The Chicago Bears, who sported one of the NFL's five best defenses, allowed 273 total yards and 33 points en route to an embarrassing 36-7 loss Sunday at Soldier Field. And that was just in the first half. Pats quarterback Tom Brady effortlessly picked apart the Bears' defense, throwing for 193 yards, while his counterpart, Jay Cutler, managed only 19 yards through the air. Again, that was only in the game's first two quarters. Not much to analyze after that. …

A season that started with questions about Lovie Smith's job security has had its focus shifted to whether or not Smith and his Chicago Bears can secure a playoff spot. Lovie has been anything but loved by most Bears fans, despite a 60-47 career record and .561 winning percentage as the team's head coach coming into Sunday's action. Sunday's 24-20 victory over the Detroit Lions clinched the Bears' fourth winning season under Smith—one more than predecessors Dick Jauron and Dave Wannstedt had in the 11 seasons before Smith strolled into town. And if the Bears can avoid a late-season collapse, …

Jay Cutler was more Mike Vick than Vick was himself at Soldier Field Sunday. The much-maligned Chicago Bears quarterback threw four touchdown passes to three different receivers, posted a career-best 146.2 quarterback rating and—perhaps most importantly—threw no interceptions in a 31-26 win against the Philadelphia Eagles. Remind me again who was supposed to be the Pro Bowl quarterback coming into Sunday's tilt? And say what you will about the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty Cutler drew in the fourth quarter. As it turns out, it might have been the best penalty the Bears have taken all …

Chicago's classic rivalries have been lacking in the drama department in recent years, but that will change as we come down the stretch of the current NFL season. Because something of substance will be on the line over the next six weeks, the rivalry between the Bears and Green Bay Packers will finally get its time in the limelight once again. The Bears and Packers have all the makings of a headline-stealing rivalry. Contrary to popular belief, the two NFC North foes have more than a long-time feud going for them. Both teams feature quarterbacks overcoming obstacles not usually associated …

They weren't bailed out by a technicality. Nor did they have to prey on a hapless, winless franchise. Finally, the Chicago Bears emerged with a victory they could be proud of. And for the first time this season, the Bears are a first place team that actually looked the part. Dare I say, Lovie Smith's squad looked like a playoff team? Anything can happen with seven games remaining in the regular season, but there is no denying there was something different about Sunday's win against the Minnesota Vikings. An odd combination of being good and lucky needs to occur for a team to be playoff bound…

There should be no shame in making a change. Barack Obama won a presidential election on the platform of change. The Tampa Bay Rays have won 277 games, made two playoff appearances and won the 2008 American League pennant after taking the "Devil" out of their name following the 2007 season. Now, the Chicago Bears are the latest entity to grasp the concept that change can be a good thing. After rushing a grand total of 30 times in back-to-back losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins, offensive coordinator Mike Martz succumbed to the passionate requests of a riled-up fan base to …

When the Chicago Bears wake up this morning—fresh off their bye week—they will be looking up at the first-place Green Bay Packers. By virtue of the Packers' 9-0 victory against the New York Jets, the Bears are in unfamiliar territory—alone in second place. The off week could not have come at a better time for Chicago, which has lost three of its last four games after a 3-1 start. Better yet, the timing could not be better for offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who could use the extra week to search through his thick playbook for plays designed to gain yards and score points. With the extra …

The chemistry between Jay Cutler and DeAngelo Hall was undeniable. And that would be all fine and well if it weren't for the simple fact that Cutler and Hall played on opposing teams. As it was, Hall, the Washington Redskins cornerback, stepped in front of four Cutler passes as the turnover-plagued effort sent the Chicago Bears to a 17-14 defeat at the hands of the Redskins. It was the Bears' third loss in the last four games. Bears games are already maddening to watch, but Cutler's performance Sunday likely sent a few fans into the asylum. With an offensive coordinator that turned …

The Bears should have been a rejuvenated bunch Sunday with the return of Jay Cutler to the lineup. One week after Todd Collins set the quarterback position back 50 years with a four-interception game against the woeful Carolina Panthers, Cutler's appearance in the huddle alone should have been worth a victory. Instead, the Bears flatlined and fell to 4-2 on the season as the Seattle Seahawks pulled off a shocking 23-20 victory at Soldier Field. If game balls were handed out after Seattle's victory, the first would go to the Chicago coaching staff. Head coach Lovie Smith has the luxury of …

Going back to the good ol' days of Chicago Bears football has never looked so bad. But that's exactly what the Bears did in a 23-6 victory against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. In 2005 and 2006, the Bears won 11 and 13 games, respectively, despite having starting quarterbacks Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman throw more interceptions (35) than touchdowns (33). Fast forward to 2010, where Lovie Smith conjured up whatever formula he used to nab 24 wins, two division championships and an NFC championship to help the Bears earn their fourth win of the season Sunday. In a game in which Carolina was …

The Chicago Bears dropped their first game of the season in front of a nationally televised offense as the New York Giants dominated the Bears in a 17-3 victory. What had been an exciting ride through three weeks, The Cutler Coaster crashed near the end of the first half when an Aaron Ross sack turned into a game-ending concussion for the Bears' starting quarterback. The following is a blow-by-blow journey of how the Bears fell apart in the Meadowlands. 7:28 p.m.:  Kelly Rowland kicks off the festivities with an awesome rendition of the National Anthem. Who needs autotune with a voice like …

There's only one game left on the NFL's Week 3 calendar. And chances are, if you are living in the Chicago-area, it's the most important. Yes, the Chicago Bears square off against heated rival Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. But just because the Bears had Sunday off, doesn't mean there isn't plenty of NFL action to discuss. Here's a six-pack of talking points if your office conversation is lagging. 1. The Dallas Cowboys are still America's team. The Boys' 0-2 start had fans and NFL prognosticators worried that one of the popular choices to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl—a …

The Bears escaped with a 19-14 Week 1 victory against the Detroit Lions last week, winning by the letter of the law. And while experts suggested it would take a little more than luck to upend the Dallas Cowboys, the Bears silenced critics with a solid 27-20 victory to send the 'Boys to their first 0-2 start since 2001. In our inaugural Monday Morning Watercooler column, we follow sports writer Luis Medina on a blow-by-blow journey of how the Bears improved their record to 2-0. 11:50 a.m.: FOX Sports pregame show hosts Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson, Howie Long and Michael Strahan all pick the …