Quick Thoughts On Cutler's "Performance" In The NFC Championship Game

I know Cutler is receiving a lot of flack for not finishing the Championship Game. While I'm sure everyone can agree he was injured, I'm also sure that he was still good enough to complete the game. Many former players and fans alike are criticizing that Cutler was still healthy enough to play in the game and that his lack of heart, not his injury, was the reason for his absence.

A fundamental assumption that everyone seems to be missing is that: Could Cutler have been effective if he completed the game? I think that answer to that question is "No" and that Caleb Hanie looked really good. I would prefer an effective quarterback (in Hanie) than a pretty banged up quarterback (in Cutler). Reports have come out that Cutler got injured at the end of the first quarter and if you saw how poor Cutler played during the second quarter, you would understand how the injury affected number 6.

Cutler has been sacked a league leading 52 sacks- 12 more than #2 on the list (Flacco)- and he got it in 14.5 games (unlike a full 16 for Flacco). He played behind the worst offensive line in football this year (literally 32 out of 32 according to Football Outsiders) and has- at best- a below average to average receiving corps. Cutler needs to scramble and run to be effective and if an injury prevents him from doing that (which it looked like it did) then he (rightfully) needed to remove himself from the game. Also, the guy never once called out his offensive line (which he had every right to) and I find it hard to believe that all those hits and sacks didn't take a toll on his body.

Truly, at the end of the day, the only thing fans and teams care about is wins. Sure Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer were mediocre quarterbacks who won Superbowls, but do you think Bucs and Ravens fans really care all that much? Do you think they would have sacrificed those quarterbacks over say a Peyton Manning if those franchises hadn't won rings? Absolutely not. All I cared about is if the Bears won. Helping Jay's legacy would be nice, but at the end of the day- I would take a 30.0 passer rating from him in a win or I would take a win led by Caleb Hanie.

Either way, I'm sick and tired of national media outlets using Jay Cutler has a punching bag or a scapegoat. Unless someone in that locker room speaks out about Cutler or you just happened to be filming a documentary of Cutler right when that happened- stop talking shit about his personal life and speculating what's in his mind.
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UPDATE: The Chicago Sun-Times just reported Cutler has a torn MCL. 1) There goes my initial assumption that Cutler was healthy enough to finish the game 2) For all of you fans you criticized Cutler while Tweeting on your couch, you try walking to the fridge to get a beer on a torn MCL. For all the players that called Cutler out, shut your fucking face.