That was really fun to watch. I miss so many of those players. Jay was a character. But I think that's not necessarily a bad thing in a QB. He was a better QB than most every other Bear QB that I saw in my lifetime. He could be exciting to watch in some games, and then break your heart in others. The guy had a canon for an arm for sure.
Jan. 16, 2011: Bears 35, Seahawks 24 The recap: On a feel-good afternoon at Soldier Field, Cutler opened the NFC divisional playoff game with a beautiful 58-yard touchdown strike to tight end Greg Olsen. He added another TD pass in the third quarter — 39 yards to Kellen Davis — and mixed in touchdown runs of 6 and 9 yards on a turnover-free day. The Bears built a 28-0 lead and never looked back, advancing to the NFC championship game with high hopes for a Super Bowl run and a bright outlook for the long term. Stunningly, though, it turned out to be Cutler's only playoff victory with the organization.
Sept. 15, 2013: Bears 31, Vikings 30 The recap: It's easy to forget the Marc Trestman era got off to a rousing start in Chicago with Cutler leading game-winning drives late in the first two games of 2013, both at home. A week after the Bears downed the Bengals 24-21, Cutler provided even more magic in Week 2, leading a 10-play, 66-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes that ended with a 16-yard game-winning throw to Martellus Bennett with 10 seconds left. Said an ecstatic Brandon Marshall: "We have Mr. Fourth Quarter on our side in my man Jay Cut." The Bears improved to 3-0 the following week with a 40-23 win in Pittsburgh but haven't had a three-game winning streak since.
Nov. 4, 2012: Bears 51, Titans 20 The recap: This was supposed to be the blueprint. The Bears defense was dominant, forcing five takeaways. The special teams did their job with a touchdown off a blocked punt. Matt Forte went over 100 yards on the ground. And with all that support, Cutler remained as sharp as a butcher knife, connecting on three TD passes to Brandon Marshall and helping the Bears post their highest scoring output since 1980. More significantly, that was the Bears' sixth consecutive victory, their longest winning streak of the Cutler era. [Most read in Sports] 5 things we learned from Chicago Bears assistant coaches, including Jaylon Johnson needing show ‘his desire to want to play’ and Juan Castillo’s demands for his offensive line »
Dec. 20, 2010: Bears 40, Vikings 14 The recap: Cutler was indeed a championship-caliber quarterback, and he proved it in his second season with the Bears. In an encouraging 11-win season, the Bears clinched the NFC North with a Week 15 blowout on a frosty field at TCF Bank Stadium. In a game that will forever be remembered as Brett Favre's last in the NFL — the Hall of Fame quarterback suffered a concussion in the first half — the Bears cruised (or more exactly skated) to victory. Cutler's 67-yard TD strike to Johnny Knox put the Bears ahead to stay late in the first quarter. He later threw scoring passes to Devin Hester and Rashied Davis.
Nov. 15, 2015: Bears 37, Rams 13 The recap: In passer rating alone, this was Cutler's best showing as a Bear, a 19-for-24 effort for 258 yards and three scores. (That's a 151.0 rating for those scoring at home.) Against a fast and aggressive Rams defense, the Bears found a winning game plan under coordinator Adam Gase, and Cutler executed it to near perfection. Granted, his two long TD passes — 87 yards to Zach Miller and 83 yards to Jeremy Langford — came on throws completed near the line of scrimmage. Still, he did exactly what was needed, went without a turnover and was sacked just twice as the Bears scored a surprising road blowout.
Dec. 29, 2013: Packers 33, Bears 28 The recap: If only the defense could have gotten one final stop ... In the finale of a roller-coaster season, with the NFC North title on the line, Cutler responded to the moment and played within himself. His final numbers — 15-for-24, 226 yards, two touchdowns — were less impressive than his steady guidance. And his ad-libbed 5-yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall to open the fourth quarter pushed the Bears ahead 28-20. Alas, the defense allowed fourth-quarter TD drives of 77 and 87 yards, the latter punctuated by a 48-yard Randall Cobb catch against busted coverage with 38 seconds left. Cutler's final throw of a once-promising season: a Hail Mary interception. "It's tough to swallow," Cutler said. "We were right there at the door."
