Bears versus Packers game thread

[StrangeSox]

No, because he didn't.

 

Never saw him on the sidelines talking to either backup, never saw him reviewing pictures with them, or micing himself up and wearing a headset to assist like every other #1 QB that goes down does.

 

I also don't care and at this point I'm just stirring the pot.

 

I thought Hanie credited Cutler with helping him keep his nerves in check?

[Rowand44]

I thought Hanie credited Cutler with helping him keep his nerves in check?

He did. There was also one point where they did show those two going over plays together on the sidelines but people seem to forget that for some reason.

[Y2HH]

I thought Hanie credited Cutler with helping him keep his nerves in check?

 

I can credit you for keeping my nerves in check, too...but did you?

 

Every shot I saw of cutler on the sidelines he did none of those things. He was riding a bike. Talking to trainers. Sitting on a bench with his coat on. Sitting on the bench with his coat on with headphones on. Walking around. Sitting on the bench again.

 

Granted the cameras weren't on him for 30 minutes, but every time they were, he wasn't talking to the backups, he wasn't doing anything. So I'm not buying it.

[StrangeSox]

He did. There was also one point where they did show those two going over plays together on the sidelines but people seem to forget that for some reason.

 

Chronic meatballitis.

[Y2HH]

He did. There was also one point where they did show those two going over plays together on the sidelines but people seem to forget that for some reason.

 

Must have missed this, cuz I didn't see it once.

[whitesoxfan101]

Yes this is basically what Im trying to say. Its not just the "meatball" fans who are curious about why this injury kept him out. The group that is criticizing him more then anyone else are current and former NFL players, some of which have had similar injuries. I wouldnt have expected to hear anything different from the Bears camp but to me it sounds like the coaching staff is covering for him, which they should be.

 

Well the Bears HAVE to cover for him, that's why I was shocked Lovie used the "sprained" verbage in his presser, you have to make this sound as bad as possible without being dishonest.

 

It's fine to criticize players and Cutler certainly deserves a ton of it but bashing him for not being tough is ridiculously misguided and to be honest, it's just plain stupid.

 

Bashing him for not being tough is misguided. Questioning it while acting like adults, especially based on what we know now, is fair IMO. I think a lot of the Bears fans being critical of Jay for this before we knew were simply frusterated at losing a Super Bowl spot to the Packers, which is going to happen. But we know a bit more now, so people can look at the situation based on that.

[StrangeSox]

I can credit you for keeping my nerves in check, too...but did you?

 

Every shot I saw of cutler on the sidelines he did none of those things. He was riding a bike. Talking to trainers. Sitting on a bench with his coat on. Sitting on the bench with his coat on with headphones on. Walking around. Sitting on the bench again.

 

Granted the cameras weren't on him for 30 minutes, but every time they were, he wasn't talking to the backups, he wasn't doing anything. So I'm not buying it.

 

Oh ok. We've got one of the QB's giving him credit, but since you didn't see it on TV, it must be bulls***!

[Y2HH]

Oh ok. We've got one of the QB's giving him credit, but since you didn't see it on TV, it must be bulls***!

 

And since you didn't see it on TV, and one of his teammates made up an excuse for him, it must be true!

 

I can do that, too.

[southsideirish71]

Had this loudmouth on the train today doing his Jay Quitter and how if he was playing he would of manned up. I turned to him and said "I love the tough guy approach from the sunday drunk who's most athletic moment yesterday was getting up off the couch and fumbling drunk trying not to piss on their shoes. Carry on though Mr Athlete."

 

 

[iamshack]

It's fine to criticize players and Cutler certainly deserves a ton of it but bashing him for not being tough is ridiculously misguided and to be honest, it's just plain stupid.

It's stupid why? I'm not questioning his ability to take a whipping, I'm questioning his ability to stay mentally strong. We've seen many cases of him breaking down this year because of the pressure. I'm just going off of what I saw and what nearly everyone else was questioning, including people that know him, people that have played against him, etc.

 

 

[StrangeSox]

And since you didn't see it on TV, and one of his teammates made up an excuse for him, it must be true!

 

I can do that, too.

 

That's not how it works. What reason do I have to doubt Hanie, aside from meatball incredulity and the desire to call Cutler a p****?

[Y2HH]

It's stupid why? I'm not questioning his ability to take a whipping, I'm questioning his ability to stay mentally strong. We've seen many cases of him breaking down this year because of the pressure. I'm just going off of what I saw and what nearly everyone else was questioning, including people that know him, people that have played against him, etc.

 

HEY, YOU CAN'T QUESTION CUTLER OR YOU'RE A MEATBALL FAN!@#$@!

 

DON'T YOU KNOW THAT?#@!$

[nitetrain8601]

Kind of funny that his critics (Dilfer, Hassleback, et al) constantly criticize his mechanics, but they want him to play through an injury that wouldn't have allowed him to plant when he threw.

 

Trent didn't even criticize Cutler's toughness. He did say though, he does need to be a better leader. He should've got the guys amped up and been cheering on the sidelines. I disagree with the latter, but Dilfer wasn't even close to roasting Cutler. In fact, he probably was one of his only defenders.

 

I agree Cutler needs to learn how to be a better leader, or at least fake being one. He shows his frustration too much and really does nothing to fire up the squad. In fact, his demeanor always seems down during games. Maybe he can work on that in the offseason as his personal mission while the team works on getting him a better line and definitely a better WR. Guys who they should consider are Chad OchoCinco, Terrell Owens(I wouldn't do both together to be honest), trade for Roy Williams or Dez Bryant(if really available), possibly get Eddie Royal, Vincent Jackson or somehow trade up for AJ Green.

[IlliniKrush]

Thanks, I probably have a better insight of medical stuff on this board (besides ptatc). To say the MCL is completely torn is wrong.

 

I'd love to know what B&B have to say about this now.

They completely disagree with basically everything you've posted.

 

Yes this is basically what Im trying to say. Its not just the "meatball" fans who are curious about why this injury kept him out. The group that is criticizing him more then anyone else are current and former NFL players, some of which have had similar injuries. I wouldnt have expected to hear anything different from the Bears camp but to me it sounds like the coaching staff is covering for him, which they should be.

 

They are doing a terrible job doing so. I think they are doing this because they are stupid and don't know how, not because they don't want to.

[Y2HH]

That's not how it works. What reason do I have to doubt Hanie, aside from meatball incredulity and the desire to call Cutler a p****?

 

I don't think Cutler is a p****.

 

I think hes a mope, and did as little as possible to help after he was out of the game. That's my observation...because you disagree with it doesn't make me wrong.

[Milkman delivers]

A lot of the people who have been on Cutlers side of this have been very critical of the people questioning the injury. However, there is a total flip flop going on in their argument. It started off saying how tough he has been and if he says he is too hurt than we have to take his word for it. Then once the MRI results come back and guys like ptatc are saying that in his opinion its a second degree sprain (not calling you out, just using your expertise to prove a point) and isnt an injury that cant be played through that now the excuse is that there is nothing he can do because the coaches/doctors kept him out.

 

There is an enormous difference between being too hurt to play and being capable of playing and being held out by the coaches. Considering he went in the first series in the 2nd half the largest factor in him remaining in the game would be based on how he said he felt.

 

Now Im not doubting the injury and theres no way to know what kind of pain he was in or how much the decision to pull him was injury and how much was performance. But all the people who are s***ting all over people upset about this need to realize that this injury is something can be played through and its been proven many times. Lovie Smith didnt say he pulled him because he was playing bad, he said it was because of the injury. Do you honestly not think if Jay came in after the first series in the 2nd half and said to Lovie "Its sore but Im fine, I can play through it" that he would have stayed in the game?

 

Nice.

[whitesoxfan101]

It's hard to gauge Cutler's overall sideline demeanor in terms of talking to Hanie, talking to coaches, trying to help out, interest in the game, etc based on what we saw on camera, because they only can show Jay so much over there, especially when he's hurt. For all we know, he's into the game like no other when he's not on camera, and even if he's not, quite frankly I don't think how much talking an injured QB does impacts the game anyways. The bigger issue here is several quick snapshots of him over there not looking very hurt, and the reports we have on just how much/what kind of medical treatment he was receiving. That's something you can read into moreso IMO.

Edited January 24, 2011 by whitesoxfan101

[DrunkBomber]

Most of the people who are criticizing him started well before anything was known other than that Cutler wasn't playing.

A lot of people had emotional reactions based on the situation. Id even venture to say a good number of them were drunk. That doesnt change anything though. Just because a few people are mad for the wrong reasons or jumped the gun with being upset before getting the results doesnt discredit the people who were willing to wait to hear what the injury was to gather an opinion.

 

As I said before, the results of the MRI also derailed a lot of what the people who were supporting Cutler were preaching. Neither side is right, I just find the people who think they are taking some moral high road and calling everyone names because they are questioning what happened laughable.

 

I still dont know how I feel about all of it and I am mostly playing devils advocate, but the people calling the anyone who questions Cutlers toughness an idiot or meatball are ridiculous. Youre reaching for excuses just as much as the other side is and are basically proclaiming yourselves right with nothing to back it up.

[Rowand44]

Well the Bears HAVE to cover for him, that's why I was shocked Lovie used the "sprained" verbage in his presser, you have to make this sound as bad as possible without being dishonest.

 

 

 

Bashing him for not being tough is misguided. Questioning it while acting like adults, especially based on what we know now, is fair IMO. I think a lot of the Bears fans being critical of Jay for this before we knew were simply frusterated at losing a Super Bowl spot to the Packers, which is going to happen. But we know a bit more now, so people can look at the situation based on that.

Like you've already mentioned yourself, his track record speaks for itself.

[whitesoxfan101]

They are doing a terrible job doing so. I think they are doing this because they are stupid and don't know how, not because they don't want to.

 

Year the Bears are not very good when it comes to PR and press conferences.

[StrangeSox]

How does an MRI indicating an MCL sprain derail anyone pushing back against the ridiculous criticism of Cutler here?

[LittleHurt05]

No, because he didn't.

 

Never saw him on the sidelines talking to either backup, never saw him reviewing pictures with them, or micing himself up and wearing a headset to assist like every other #1 QB that goes down does.

 

I also don't care and at this point I'm just stirring the pot.

 

Were you at the game watching him on the sidelines the entire time? I heard reporters on the sideline report this morning that they saw him working with Hanie on several occasions.

[Y2HH]

It's hard to gauge Cutler's overall sideline demeanor in terms of talking to Hanie, talking to coaches, trying to help out, interest in the game, etc based on what we saw on camera, because they only can show Jay so much over there, especially when he's hurt. The bigger issue here is several quick snapshots of him over there not looking very hurt, and the reports we have on just how much/what kind of medical treatment he was receiving. That's something you can read into moreso IMO.

 

I saw Any Given Sunday, and Willie Beamen helped Cap Rooney more in that one half of football than Cutler helped backups his entire career. Willie had the big headset on, was doing hand signals, and reviewing snapshots with Dennis Quaid CONSTANTLY, in practically every camera shot...Cutler did none of this! :D

[Balta1701]

Were you at the game watching him on the sidelines the entire time? I heard reporters on the sideline report this morning that they saw him working with Hanie on several occasions.

There was definitely one shot of Hanie sitting next to Cutler with a book of photos in Hanie's hands.

[whitesoxfan101]

Like you've already mentioned yourself, his track record speaks for itself.

 

I know it does, which is why I'm not going off like a lot of people. But the more we're finding out about what happened yesterday, that also speaks for itself. And quite frankly, it doesn't speak all that well for Cutler.