Jay Cutler's knee?

[gingi79]

I think it is really interesting that pro football players are coming out in droves on Twitter to skewer Jay Cutler for not returning during the second half of the NFC Championship game. Deion Sanders apologized to Bears fans and questioned Cutler's heart; Derrick Brooks similarly questioned his guts and his heart; Maurice Jones Drew told him he played an entire season on a bad knee; others had similar comments about how he quit on the Bears. Today it was announced he tore his MCL.

I am interested to hear how all football fans feel but specifically how the Bears fans on this board feel about Cutler today. I realize how disappointed you are in the loss and how 2 bad passes by a third string nobody QB were the difference between going home and going to Dallas. But:

Do you agree with other players not wearing Navy jerseys that he has no heart and quit on the team? Even though their Captain said the right things, because Urlacher is a true leader, no one outside the Bears has defended him.

Do you feel Lovie pulled him on a lack of faith and shouldn't have?

More importantly, if Hanie doesn't throw the ball to the 500 pound Godzilla in a Packers jersey or the Packers drop that last minute interception, the Bears might have found a way to win. Is any of this an issue today? In other words, is it only because they lost that people feel Cutler is the scapegoat?

He was pretty bad before the injury (6/14 for 80 yards, an INT and a Fumble) does that affect your stance on him?

I tore my ACL in Israel in 2005. It still hurts some days in 2011. Now, I know I am not a pro football player nor an athlete but this isn't a black and blue mark that will heal in 2 weeks or a charley horse. One more serious shot to that leg and Jay might never walk without pain the rest of his life. Then again, it's not a far stretch that Jay Cutler may never get the opportunity to play in another Super Bowl again in his life, either.

[3arod13]

I think it is really interesting that pro football players are coming out in droves on Twitter to skewer Jay Cutler for not returning during the second half of the NFC Championship game. Deion Sanders apologized to Bears fans and questioned Cutler's heart; Derrick Brooks similarly questioned his guts and his heart; Maurice Jones Drew told him he played an entire season on a bad knee; others had similar comments about how he quit on the Bears. Today it was announced he tore his MCL.

I am interested to hear how all football fans feel but specifically how the Bears fans on this board feel about Cutler today. I realize how disappointed you are in the loss and how 2 bad passes by a third string nobody QB were the difference between going home and going to Dallas. But:

Do you agree with other players not wearing Navy jerseys that he has no heart and quit on the team? Even though their Captain said the right things, because Urlacher is a true leader, no one outside the Bears has defended him.

Do you feel Lovie pulled him on a lack of faith and shouldn't have?

More importantly, if Hanie doesn't throw the ball to the 500 pound Godzilla in a Packers jersey or the Packers drop that last minute interception, the Bears might have found a way to win. Is any of this an issue today? In other words, is it only because they lost that people feel Cutler is the scapegoat?

He was pretty bad before the injury (6/14 for 80 yards, an INT and a Fumble) does that affect your stance on him?

I tore my ACL in Israel in 2005. It still hurts some days in 2011. Now, I know I am not a pro football player nor an athlete but this isn't a black and blue mark that will heal in 2 weeks or a charley horse. One more serious shot to that leg and Jay might never walk without pain the rest of his life. Then again, it's not a far stretch that Jay Cutler may never get the opportunity to play in another Super Bowl again in his life, either.

Not a Bears fan (Vikings all the way), but only Cutler knows how bad is knee really was. If bad, and he continued to play, it would have only hurt the team even more. They almost pulled it out, and I was cheering for them.

He seemed to have given up, is why I believe everyone is shouting out as they are. I only wish he wouldn't have kept so much to himself, and was over with the other QB's helping and guiding them, as a QB leader.

There's no doubt he was bummed because he wasn't doing all that great. Do I think he quit? We'll never really know.

[shoremen44]

I am not a Bears fan, but seeing Cutler walking around on the sideline pissed me off...

I played lacrosse in college and partially tore my ACL before the National Championship game... the trainers held me together with tape and a brace... and I went out and played, nothing was keeping me off that field


You hear about guys in hockey taking a puck to the face, losing their teeth and barely missing a shift... Even in football... guys play hurt all the time... and I know I am going to screw up this story, but I want to say it was Ronnie Lott who broke his finger, and the trainer was going to take him out of the game, and instead he just cut it off...

or what about Rothlesberger... (for as much as I hate the steelers, you have to respect the toughness)... earlier this year, the Ravens broke his nose... sprained his ankle... and simply beat the living crap out of the guy... what di he do? He stayed in and won the game


Culter was a puss yesterday... nothing else

[helmets]

Bear's new Quarterback...

[camarokids]

How many times in the first half did Lovie Smith choose to punt instead of going for field goals or going for it on fourth down?

Once it was 11 net yards difference after the punt. Why not go for it on fourth down?

Coaching lost them the game as well.

You are right, take away one of the two interceptions (to the Freezer) by Hanie and add in a field goal or two in the first half and the Bears are in the Super Bowl........

[NEFAN]

and I know I am going to screw up this story, but I want to say it was Ronnie Lott who broke his finger, and the trainer was going to take him out of the game, and instead he just cut it off...



He broke it in a game and had it cut off after the end of the 1985 season.

[1929tudor]

I'm tired of people focousing on Cutlers knee as the problem for there lose yesterday. Heck he played like crap. He threw 1 interception, couldn't hit the receivers and they scored NO POINTS in the first half when he was in there. That's what the focus should be on when there talking about him directly. Not his knee and if he was faking it or didn't play hurt. Maybe if he would have stayed in the whole game they might have still lost and big time with more interceptions. Who knows but the first half was terrible with him in there healthy.

[TriplexXxSports]

The Chicago Bears lost that football game. That's right, THE TEAM. No one person is to blame. You practice as a team, you play as a team, you win as a team, and you lose as a team. Period.

With that being said - I play football (at the semi-pro level). One thing I have learned is that as soon as you wince in front of a trainer, they have to pull you aside and look at you, and make a professional decision as to whether or not you will return to the field. Once the trainers get to you, it is no longer the players decision. Therefore, you have 2 options...

1) Man up and play through it.

2) Or, be left to the mercy of the trainers, and let them decide for you.

[TriplexXxSports]

Jay Cutler did not leave that game. He was pulled. Therefore, whatever his diagnosis was/is is completely irrelevant to the loss in Chicago yesterday.

[nationals2k9]

I openly called him out yesterday and am now sorry I did now that more information has surfaced. What bothered me was when he told the sideline reporter he doesn't remember when he hurt it. That, and the walking around. But as some have said, he wasn't performing well anyway.

For as bad at the Bears played, they still had a shot and I blame the stupid timeout called on 3rd and 3 when they had momentum on the last drive. The Packers D was tired, the Bears broke the huddle late, and had the perfect play called to get the 1st and pick up a nice bunch of yards on a cutback run... but Lovie or Martz or whoever asked for a last second timeout and we all know how that worked out.

I'm surprised the Packers are the early favorite in the SB but figure the neutral site and the turf have a lot to do with it.

[xpress34]

The Chicago Bears lost that football game. That's right, THE TEAM. No one person is to blame. You practice as a team, you play as a team, you win as a team, and you lose as a team. Period.

Matthew -

I agree whole heartedly with your statement. In this 'me, me, me' environment in pro sports today, everyone always wants to point the finger and blame their team mate for the loss rather than accepting their part of the responsibility.

One of the worst incidents I remember of blaming someone else - and not even on his own team - was A-Rod.

I don't remember the year, but it was after he bolted for the 'Bright Lights, Big City' on NY from Texas. The Yankees would secure Home Field advantage through the playoffs if Texas beat the Angels in the Final Game of the Season. The Rangers had long since been eliminated and Buck Showalter decided to give the fans and the players a nice send off and he replaced players regularly throughout the game so the fans got to see everybody play. They lost to the Angels and the Yankees lost home field advantage. A-Rod blames the RANGERS for them not having Home Field Advantage. NOT himself or his teammates for not winning 1 or 2 more games to get it... it was all the Rangers fault... in fact, there was a story circulating at the time that A-Rod went as far as to accuse the Rangers of losing the game on purpose to punish him for leaving the team!

Anyway, sorry for the rant, but yes I agree - you WIN as a TEAM and you LOSE as a TEAM.

- Smitty

[LastingsMilledge85]

The problem some former players and players had with Cutler is that in the biggest game of his career so far, you do not take yourself out. Some players say that they are not leaving unless it's on a stretcher. Alright, maybe someone told Cutler he is not allowed back in, but he had to have hinted something was awry with him. Bottom line, he's a team leader and should of just sucked it up. The Bears didn't lose because of him, maybe by Hanie coming in that increased their chances of winning because Green Bay did not have a prepared scouting report on him, but Cutler needed to suck it up and not hint at his injury (if that's what indeed "did him in" for the day).

[MSpecht]

Hummm.. sitting alone on the sidelines not participating in a big game ?? For a moment I thought LT had been traded to the Bears....

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

[kudu]

At least he wasn't on the sidelines picking his nose and wiping his boogers on his backup quarterbacks jacket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_tYmliLo34

[ivo610]

Urlacher sure as hell came to play. Also nice to see him protect his teammate even though he should have ripped him apart.

todd collins worst back up QB ever?

[camarokids]

At least he wasn't on the sidelines picking his nose and wiping his boogers on his backup quarterbacks jacket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_tYmliLo34

That is gross. I wonder what Brunnell said too Sanchez when he turned around???

[LastingsMilledge85]

Urlacher sure as hell came to play. Also nice to see him protect his teammate even though he should have ripped him apart.

todd collins worst back up QB ever?

Collins had a very nice starting run in 2007 for the Redskins. No, he is definitely not the worst backup NFL QB, Dan Orlovsky has the honors of that title.

[Bravesfan]

Not a Bears fan (Panthers and Steelers fan) but what Cutler did does not suprise me in the least. He is like Manny Ramirez, he plays for himself and his own glory, not the teams.

[mwbosoxfan]

Hummm.. sitting alone on the sidelines not participating in a big game ?? For a moment I thought LT had been traded to the Bears....

Mike jackitout7@aol.com

I posted this picture right after that playoff game in '08 as I thought someone had done a nice photoshop job on an LT action figure. It turns out the item (with him sitting on the bench) was the real deal.... how fitting!

[BU54CB]

The problem some former players and players had with Cutler is that in the biggest game of his career so far, you do not take yourself out. Some players say that they are not leaving unless it's on a stretcher. Alright, maybe someone told Cutler he is not allowed back in, but he had to have hinted something was awry with him. Bottom line, he's a team leader and should of just sucked it up. The Bears didn't lose because of him, maybe by Hanie coming in that increased their chances of winning because Green Bay did not have a prepared scouting report on him, but Cutler needed to suck it up and not hint at his injury (if that's what indeed "did him in" for the day).

Cutler didn't take himself out, and from what I've heard and read, Cutler wanted to go back in, Lovie Smith said no. Last time I checked, the head coach runs the team. If a guy is hurt and can't play, it does the team no good to send someone out who can't perform properly.
I love how Deion Sanders criticizes, the king of no tackling, and MJD, who sat out 2 games with a groin injury while his team was still fighting for a playoff spot.

[LastingsMilledge85]

Cutler obviously hinted that something was awry? What I said was that he should of never made the notion that something was not feeling right. So many guys out there are banged up, there was no reason for him to just say nothing and keep playing being that he is a team leader.