2013: The Hail Mary
Another thing about the Cutler bad luck is that it tends to show up when he actually has really good games. Perhaps the most notable example came the next year in 2013. He’d missed five games that season due to ankle and groin injuries. In his place backup Josh McCown had played very well. Enough to kick start rumors that maybe he should remain the starter. The Bears elected to go back to Cutler. He went 1-1 going into the final game of the season against Green Bay (here we go again!).
In truth this was one of the best games Jay would play against the Packers. He threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns with an interception, stoking the Bears to a 28-27 lead with just minutes remaining. All they needed was a stop on defense to be division champions and for Cutler to be validated as the starter.
Instead they got this.
It remains one of the most gut-wrenching plays in franchise history and the catalyst for the demolition that followed. To make matters worse, it was another instant where Jay didn’t get it done both in reaching the playoffs and beating the Packers when it mattered.