I am not one to question someone's toughness especially in a sport such as the NFL. These are modern day gladiators that often times play with torn muscles, broken body parts or severe bruising. I have seen players limping all over the field, I have seen Phillip Rivers play and win at Indianapolis with a torn ACL, I have seen players play with clubs on their hand to protect a break. Jay Cutler has been on some awful teams at Vanderbilt where I am sure he took a pounding or two at the hands of Florida or LSU or Alabama. Cutler has only missed one start and that was due to a concussion earlier in the season. So I am not going to question Jay Cutler and how tough he is or is not. But, I am going to question his desire to re-enter a game of the magnitude of the NFC Title Game.
There was a disconnect from Cutler every time the camers showed him throughout the game. Yes there were two times he was talking to back up Todd Collins. But once Collins left the game Cutler was almost non existent on the sideline. Cutler even spent a short time on the stationary bike which we heard after the game never happens if there is a possibility of a serious knee injury. Jay Cutler has often been disliked by many of his teammates and at times been characterized as stand offish. But why in a game of this magnitude would he not want to go out and least try for those guys who work their tails off for Cutler all season. The only person that knows the answer is Cutler himself.
Cutler has a history of being the guy at the front of the line when things are going very well. But also the guy that does not want to take the blame or hides in the background when times get tough. So which Jay Cutler shows up next year when the trek back to the NFL Title starts in late July? For the time being Bear captains Brian Urlacher and Olin Kruetz seem to have their quarterbacks back. But in the back of their mind do they know for sure that Cutler will have theirs? As of Sunday in the biggest game for the Bears in three years Jay Cutler spent the last three quarters on the sidelines. Only time will tell on the Jay Cutler knee injury debate!
