Bears Foolish to Consider Starting Cutler vs Panthers
Wednesday is normally Jay Day at Halas Hall, when the Bears‘ starting QB Jay Cutler addresses the media and discusses plans for the next opponent. Well, today was Wednesday, but no Jay. The Bears held Cutler from his usual press conference. Why? One might believe that it was because he was still suffering the lingering effects of Sunday’s concussion, but we won’t know. Why the mystery from Bears management? Because it’s the Bears and they make no sense!
Cutler was officially listed as “limited participation” in practice. He has yet to be cleared by an independent physician before he is officially cleared to practice. Is it wrong of me to hope that he isn’t cleared and that he’s forced to the sideline? No, I’m not a Panthers fan or (gasp!) a Packer fan. No, no. Far from it. I bleed orange and blue like the rest of you die hards but hear me out.
Lovie Smith can try to play doctor:
"“It seems like he’s in pretty good shape right now,” Smith said. “There are no visual signs or anything that I can tell. He seems like he’s OK.”"
Didn’t know Lovie had a medical degree. Didn’t he just get up in front of the media and say how coaches coach and players play and they leave the medical decisions to the doctors?
Cutler has been under siege since the first preseason game against the Chargers. You’ll recall that the Cowboys game started off in similar fashion. Everyone from even the most casual observer has been saying that Cutler is going to get himself killed out there. It came close on Sunday night after a record-setting 9 first half sacks.
People have questioned which hit was the knockout punch, with some folks speculating that Cutler may have been concussed earlier in the game before the Aaron Ross shot that knocked #6 out of the game just before the half. Based on how he held onto the ball with receivers coming open in front of him makes you think they might be right.
In my opinion the Bears would be foolish to put their franchise quarterback at risk on Sunday in Carolina. It’s well documented that once you’ve suffered a concussion, you’re more susceptible to additional concussions and that the severity of successive concussions could get much worse. With the current state of the Bears’ offensive line, is it really wise to put him back there?
Aside from Cutler’s health, the Bears are putting their SEASON at risk. You could/should get by without him for a week against a de-clawed Panthers team. You will not get along without Cutty if he takes another head shot and misses the rest of the season. Or worse, another serious head shot in short succession and Cutler’s career could be in jeopardy. The Bears have invested too much in Cutler to take any chances. The Bears must give Jay extra time to get himself right. Not 95% right; not even 99% right. They need to be 1000% sure that he’s healthy and fully recovered.
A concussion isn’t like a knee or a shoulder. You can’t look at an x-ray or an MRI and say, “OK, you’re good to go!” It’s the freaking brain. No one can challenge Cutler’s toughness, because if he really did pull himself, why wait until sack #9 before saying “forget it; I’m done for the night?” Wouldn’t you do that after one of the first shots?
Cutler is a competitor and he’ll want to play. It’s the team’s responsibility to protect him from himself. Remember Jason Witten on the sidelines late in the Cowboys game? He didn’t seem out of it; he was demanding to get back into the game, but a doctor was there to protect him from himself. The Bears would be asinine to take any risk with Cutler. What do you think? Vote in our poll and express yourself in the Comments section!
BOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!
Through the month of October, my usual BEAR DOWN signoff will be in pink to raise awareness for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.