Jay Cutler Days Until Chicago Bears Season Opener

Aug 8, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) throws a pass during the first quarter of a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

We had so much fun doing our Countdown to Kickoff series last season that we decided to do it again. In case you’re new to the series, we’ll do a roster preview as we count down the days until the Chicago Bears September 7th season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

We’re officially less than a week away from our beloved Chicago Bears playing some meaningful football, and that brings us to number six on our countdown, Jay Cutler.  Cutler is one of the most polarizing figures I’ve ever experienced in all my years as a Bears fan.  It seems like you either love him or you hate him, but everybody has an opinion on him.  He’s struggled with injuries and turnovers since the Bears traded for him from the Denver Broncos prior to the 2009 season, but his talent is undeniable and he seems to make just enough breath-taking plays to keep his supporters banging the drum.  Personally, I find myself defending him more days than not.

In college, Cutler played for Vanderbilt University.  The Commodores have enjoyed some relative success in recent years after spending decades as a doormat for other SEC schools, and Cutler can be credited with a large portion of that.  They didn’t win a ton of games during his tenure, but he did show his teammates that they could compete with the big dogs.  During his senior year in 2005, he led his team to nearly upset the 13th ranked Florida Gators before losing 49-42, and defeated the Tennessee Volunteers for the first time since 1982 by a score of 28-24.

With offensive guru Marc Trestman calling the shots and multiple legitimate targets in the passing game, Cutler seems poised for his best year as a Bear.  That of course hinges on his ability to stay healthy for all 16 games, which is a great big IF.  If he can’t get it done this year, it’ll be harder to defend him than ever, but I’m rooting for you Jay.

Be on the lookout for our Countdown to Kickoff series as we continue to work our way to the season opener on September 7th. We’re 10 days from kickoff.  Are you ready???