A Fan’s Take on the Chicago Bears Loss to the Lions

Dec 21, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jimmy Clausen (8) reacts after a helmet to helmet hit by Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (not pictured) during the fourth quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Well that was fun. I’m not being sarcastic. I enjoyed this game more than just about every other game this season. I believe Jimmy Clausen did very well considering he hasn’t started a game since 2010. Not good enough to win, but hey, we’re used to it this year.

Final score, Lions 20, Chicago Bears 14

He showed accuracy, poise, and ability to spread the ball around. 7 dropped balls were definitely not his fault. They were all catch-able. At least they looked that way from my living room. I love Alshon Jeffrey, but he must have had a fight with Florence Henderson before the game, because he had a bad case of “Wessonality.” Maybe the guys are used to Cutler zipping them in there, and they didn’t adjust for Clausen. Who knows. Regardless, I think it’s safe to say, if those balls were caught we win the game.

It wasn’t just the offense that seemed smoother, I feel like defense and special teams really showed up. I was thoroughly impressed.

Jimmy Clausen’s play reminded me of Josh McCown from last season. He got the ball out quickly. He looked like he was going through his progressions. He looked confident once he settled in. I started to have euphoric recall about Trestman. I started to think that Jay Cutler may be too hard-headed to benefit from a system that makes average quarterbacks look like studs.

I will use a little analogy to make my point, I will be the “Jay Cutler” in the scenario.

About 7 years ago, I wanted to try rock climbing. I have an above average build, but my washboard abs are covered with about 1 1/2 loads of laundry. I still thought I would be a good climber.

I wasn’t. My arms tired quickly and I failed to be able to pull myself up or move around. I looked around at the people that were good at it. They didn’t even look like they had any muscle, yet did it with ease.

I asked one of these rock climbing experts what might be the problem.

“Big guys like you always have difficulty with this.” He said, “You rely so much on your arm strength, that you don’t use your legs or your core, and your arms quit working for you.”

In other words, I wasn’t sharing the load.

I bet that Jimmy Clausen or Josh McCown would be better rock climbers than Jay Cutler.

They are used to spreading out the workload because they had to. They took tips from the coach because they needed to. They used their brains to make up for their inability to throw 80 yards. They knew when to throw it away. A small success when you consider the alternative of an interception.

I know myself well enough to know, that if I tried to rock climb again, I wouldn’t do any better.

Jay Cutler will always be Jay Cutler.

I’m accept him for who he is because I get what it must be like to chase those rare, incredible moments, when you had everyone in awe, no matter how few and far between they were. Even when all evidence shows that you have sacrificed any sense of stability in doing so. Costing everyone involved, in some way, shape or form.

As a Chicago Bears fan, I just want to win a Super Bowl.

First, we need to be able to climb.