Bears heading to playoffs as dark horse
It seems fitting that with the festive period almost upon us, I am writing about - the quarterback who is leading the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl charge as we enter the final two weeks of the 2010 NFL regular season.
Cutler survived a bumpy ride earlier in the year but with Christmas Day just around the corner, he has certainly delivered the goods.
What else would you expect from a
in a much-publicised trade with the Denver Broncos in 2009 but was mostly terrible in his first season with Chicago, throwing 26 interceptions in 16 games as he forced one ill-advised pass after another.
Jay Cutler has had a very productive second season in Chicago. Photo: Reuters
He has certainly improved in 2010, although he is still prone to making the odd mistake from time to time.
Cutler has completed 61.7% of his passes for 2,891 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. Those are not staggering numbers, but they are pretty decent considering he has been sacked 44 times behind an offensive line that remains a work in progress.
For Cutler, just getting onto the football field each weekend remains a considerable achievement. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2008 and can often be seen on the sidelines carrying a small black pouch complete with a glucose meter and testing strips.
While most quarterbacks around the NFL are going over plays or taking a well-earned break on the bench between drives, Cutler is often seen drawing blood from his fingertip to test his blood sugar levels.
Despite a condition that initially left him constantly weak and tired, Cutler feels in good health and refuses to let it have an impact on his life as a professional sportsman. And while he can be a spiky character at times, his perseverance and determination makes his success in 2010 all the more enjoyable to witness.
And if you believe in Christmas miracles, the Bears might just be the team you'll want to pin your hat on when the NFL playoffs begin.
Lovie Smith's men won just seven games last season and the head coach entered 2010 firmly on the hot seat and running out of time to impress.
With two games still to play, the Bears have already secured 10 wins and the NFC North Division title. Now they are playing for a first round bye in the playoffs, which would significantly improve their chances of reaching in Dallas.
Chicago's quest for a strong finish begins on Boxing Day as they take on a playoff-bound New York Jets squad buoyed by their victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Jets will present a real challenge for the Bears but Chicago boasts the very dangerous combination of having been both lucky and good for much of this season.
They only just edged past Detroit in week one when a disputed touchdown catch by Lions' wide receiver Calvin Johnson was overturned, handing Chicago victory inside the final minute. They lost Cutler to a concussion in week three but week four did not present any challenge at all as they took on the league-worst Carolina Panthers. Talk about good timing.
During the second half of this season, Chicago's aggressive defence has feasted on a pair of third-string quarterbacks in Tyler Thigpen and Drew Stanton, resulting in victories over the Miami Dolphins and Lions respectively.
And last week, the Bears were able to make life a living hell for rookie quarterback Joe Webb as he replaced the injured Brett Favre for the final two and a half quarters of Chicago's 40-14 thrashing of the Minnesota Vikings. That was also game in which the Vikings were without injured star running back Adrian Peterson.
Chicago's defence is extremely strong at the best of times but they have been able to play at an even more dominant level due to the quarterback struggles endured by some of their opponents this term.
Lovie Smith has led the Bears to the playoffs this season. Photo: AP
The free agency arrival of star defensive end Julius Peppers has made a great deal of difference to the defensive line and has helped create chances for fellow end Israel Idonije to produce a career year in the Windy City.
Behind that pair lurks one of the NFL's most dominant linebackers of the past decade in Brian Urlacher, who is proving he still boasts considerable playmaking skills despite being in his 11th season.
He is ably supported by Lance Briggs and this is a unit that will keep hitting hard and often throughout the post-season.
Talking of the playoffs, I'll be back in the first week in January, by which time the post-season line-up will be settled (there are still nine of the 12 places up for grabs) and myself and Greg Brady will be preparing to provide live commentary of one of the wild card round contests.
Until then, thanks for reading this weekly offering in 2010. Your input is always much appreciated (most of the time, anyway!). Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Week 16 on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
The Bears have won six of their last seven and are reigning NFC North champions. Yet they enter this Boxing Day game against the Jets far from heavy favourites. It should be a hard-hitting affair as Greg Brady and I present the action from Soldier Field from 1745 GMT on Boxing Day.
The reason for any form of doubt around the Bears? A week 14 shellacking at the hands of the New England Patriots that took some of the shine off a strong second half of the season.
But during that seven game run, the Bears have produced some big wins (most notably against the Philadelphia Eagles), Mike Martz has shored up the pass protection for Cutler and the rushing attack is beginning to show signs of life with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor sharing the load.
That improvement - coupled with homefield advantage and a desire to clinch a first round bye in the playoffs - should be enough to see the Bears edge past New York. But they will have to work very hard indeed to see off the visitors.
Hello, I'm Neil Reynolds. I commentate and write about the NFL. I've followed the NFL since 1983 and covered the league as a journalist and broadcaster since 1991. I also played for 10 years in the British American Football League.
Comment number 1.
At 23rd Dec 2010, eddie-george wrote:Just like the Steelers-Jets game, it might be special teams that decide this one, and on that basis I'd lean Bears. Presumably though your broadcast starts at 17.45? Or are you only doing half the game?
I think for the Bears to be a factor in the post-season, the big thing is that their running game shows up with more consistency. I'm not as convinced as you are that it has improved in recent weeks, but perhaps Mike Martz has been holding something back. If any coach knows how to get big numbers out of an all-purpose yards back like Forte, it has to be him.
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Comment number 2.
At 23rd Dec 2010, FalcsFan75 wrote:Any chance of giving some thoughts about the team with the best record in the NFC?
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Comment number 3.
At 23rd Dec 2010, plushpuppy8 wrote:An extremely dark horse indeed, they´re nowhere near the Patriots, the Falcons, the Jets, the Steelers or the Saints. Still, in the playoffs anything can happen.
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Comment number 4.
At 24th Dec 2010, Still Looking For Eric wrote:Great to see the Bears back in with a shot.The 1985 team of Ditka's is what got me in love with the game.I still haven't seen a Defensive Unit in 25 years that can come even close to the 46 Defence of Singletary , Dent , Marshall, Fraser , Perry etc.This group look very good though .Devin Hester is a great talent and reminds me a little of Deon Sanders of Raiders fame.Urlacker is a fantastic athlete and Cutler is a natural leader.Can the Monsters of the Midway do it , honestly , no , but i am going to enjoy the ride.Merry Christmas to all.
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Comment number 5.
At 27th Dec 2010, What Would Clough Do wrote:The Bears did not mail it in against the Jets, in fact, both teams played rather well. I understand now, the Bears need to defeat Green Bay to get a first round bye in the playoffs, if the Bears do not get that bye and Green Bay defeats them, the two teams meet again in the first round of the playoffs assuming that the Eagles can win their last two vs. teams with 3rd string QBs in Minnesota and Dallas though the Cowboys 3rd stringer does seem to have some punch in his abilities, Green Bay needs to defeat Chicago next week in the regular season game to advance to the playoffs for certain, too bad, the two Northern teams would be knocking each other out. If Chicago and GB met each other, it would be the 3rd time this season. At times, Green Bay looks awesome, wouldn't want to see Lovey Smith leave the playoffs early. I'm sure a lot can happen before all that would guarantee the two would meet. For the record, Green Bay could actually win next week and miss the playoffs somehow if some other possibilities happened that are thought to be statistically very very remote as to not merit consideration.
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Comment number 6.
At 29th Dec 2010, Zippymk13 wrote:|After the Eagles defeat to the Vikings the Bears are more than likely going to be the No. 2 seed which gives them the bye, if the Packers win this week against the Bears they will get the wild card, their prize for winning that is a trip to the Eagles, even if the Packers lose they will get the wild card unless the Giants or Bucs win
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Comment number 7.
At 29th Dec 2010, MNGuy wrote:I'm still to be convinced by the Bears ; in the early part of the season especially, their opponents seemed to lose matches, as opposed to the Bears winning them.
It's been a weird season in as much as those teams expected to do well (eg Vikes, 49ers, Giants, Titans, Chargers) have struggled, whilst other teams not so fancied (and hit by injury), such as Bears, Packers, Rams, Chiefs and Eagles have done well, which means that the playoff picture is still open, even at this very late stage - which is great !
And who'd have thunk the Vikes would stiff the Eagles on the first Tuesday night game since 1946 ? The rookie QB (Webb) did well, outshining the potential MVP Vick (who was harried, rushed, sacked and dispossessed alarmingly easily all night by a spirited Vikes Defence).
Bring on the Playoffs !
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Comment number 8.
At 30th Dec 2010, saf wrote:As someone who was also diagnosed with Type I at an unusual age (if you don't get it at birth, or in puberty or old age, health professionals get veeeeeery concerned), I can only marvel at Jay Cutler's physical abilities.
Of course, being IDD does not preclude anyone from sporting activity, but those who are Brittle (as, given the circumstances, I suspect Mr Cutler may well be) have susbtantial obstacles to overcome. I had to abandon my faint hopes of a career in cricket, but to play in the NFL with Type I diabetes defies belief.
Nearly fifty sacks and he's still getting up?
The man is a hero.
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Comment number 9.
At 31st Dec 2010, Retirethenumber17shirt wrote:So the 4 Bears go to the Pro Bowl. Big Poppa Bear (54), Grizzly Bear (55), Super Bear (90) and Lightning Bear (23) - proof that a fit Urlacher, teamed with the evergreen Lance Briggs and the scariest Bear of all in Julius Peppers have lit up the team. Hester's shown yet again that kicking to him is fatal. Can they go all the way? Why not, they've done it before with a dodgy QB and a makeshift forward line. Say what you will about Cutler, he's got a big arm and thick skin. Plus the whole team's lucky. That may just be enough.
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Comment number 10.
At 3rd Jan 2011, GunnerToby wrote:Plushpuppy, no where near the Jets LOLZ.
The Bears sorted their horrible OL problems out after their bye week and have been better, but they're still prone to lapses on O.
The Defense has been greatly improved by Peppers coming in and a fit Brian Urlacher. Israel Idonije (the other DE) has racked up career high 8 sacks cos of Peppers drawing all the attention. He's also allowed the Bears to blitz less often and so drop back into their cover 2 shell much more frequently, which can drive a QB nuts. However they were shredded by Brady and the Pats in the snow and gave up 34 to a dodgy Jets offense recently.
They'll host Philly or New Orleans in the 2nd round. They've beaten Vick and you don't trust a dome team heading up to Chicago in january, so they have a good shot at making it through to at least the NFC Title game.
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