Bears players rally behind Cutler after criticism over knee injury
The Chicago Bears are backing quarterback Jay Cutler after he came under fire for leaving their NFC Championship defeat on Sunday with a knee injury.
Cutler left the field early in the second half with an unspecified knee injury, and the Bears ended up with third-string Caleb Hanie under centre after veteran back-up Todd Collins was taken out after just a few series.
As Cutler stood on the sidelines, criticism was already coming in from players past and present who thought he showed a lack of heart to not try and play more of a part in the biggest game of his career.
After shining against Seattle in the previous game, Cutler was rattled by Green Bay and has thrown for just 80 yards on six completions with an interception when he came out of the game, and Hanie in fact almost led a late comeback as Chicago went down 21-14.
"It's a lonely feeling," said Cutler, who will have an MRI on the knee. "Go through training camp and everything else and get to this point and have an opportunity to get in the Super Bowl, it's hard.
Cutler left the field early in the second half with an unspecified knee injury, and the Bears ended up with third-string Caleb Hanie under centre after veteran back-up Todd Collins was taken out after just a few series.
As Cutler stood on the sidelines, criticism was already coming in from players past and present who thought he showed a lack of heart to not try and play more of a part in the biggest game of his career.
After shining against Seattle in the previous game, Cutler was rattled by Green Bay and has thrown for just 80 yards on six completions with an interception when he came out of the game, and Hanie in fact almost led a late comeback as Chicago went down 21-14.
"It's a lonely feeling," said Cutler, who will have an MRI on the knee. "Go through training camp and everything else and get to this point and have an opportunity to get in the Super Bowl, it's hard.
Injury
"We gave it a go that first series, but I couldn't really plant and throw, so they kind of pulled me."
When asked if he was told he couldn't return, he said: "I knew that it was probably better that I didn't. I knew my knee, I know my body."
Chicago centre Olin Kreutz says he saw Cutler was hurt after taking a hit to the knee, and was surprised he even made it out for the third quarter.
"It was shaking right after he took the hit and walked back into the huddle," Kreutz said. "It was swinging. I knew that one of his ligaments probably went."
Linebacker Biran Urlacher is as tough as they come, and he vouched for Cutler in that respect, and also had little doubt that his quarterback was truly unable to play.
Tough
"He doesn't complain when he gets hit," said Urlacher. "Jay was hurt. I don't question his toughness. He's tough as hell. He's one of the toughest guys on our team. No, we don't question his toughness."
Cutler looked to have proved his critics wrong when not only leading the Bears to an unlikely number two seeding, but then playing brilliantly in his first ever play-off game - with two rushing and two passing touchdowns against the Seahawks.
Chicago looked miles out of play-off contention before their bye week, but they bounced back with seven wins out of their last eight to power into the play-offs, with their only defeat ironically being against Green Bay in the finale.
"We really have nothing to hang our heads about," linebacker Lance Briggs said. "Hats off to the Packers; they'll represent the NFC very well. Next year, the Chicago Bears will have their day."
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