Jay Cutler Plays His Best When His Job Is On the Line

Some NFL quarterbacks are elite, some are journeymen, some are backups and some are washouts. Jay Cutler? His best term is “survivor.”

Saying that word makes one think of all the hits and sacks he’s endured for years with the Chicago Bears. While that’s true, in this context it’s speaking more to his ability to raise his game when it’s clear his job is on the line. There have been a number of moments over the past few years where the team was beginning to entertain the idea of moving on.

Each time he made them reconsider.

2013:  The Josh McCown threat

Three years ago nobody ever would’ve thought that Josh McCown, a career backup, would be a threat to Cutler’s job. However, when Jay went down with groin and then ankle injuries, the veteran journeyman got a chance to show his stuff. McCown was brilliant through his five starts, going 3-2 and throwing 13 touchdowns to just one interception. His five-touchdown performance against Dallas on Monday Night at Soldier Field remains one of the fondest memories

Nevertheless the Bears went back to Cutler a week later. Some were skeptical whether he could do the job. In truth he actually played fairly well in the final three games. He threw six touchdowns to four interceptions and posted a 93.26 quarterback rating. His strong performance in the finale had the team in position to win the division title before Chris Conte and the defense gave it away in the waning seconds against Green Bay.