With a huge acknowledging nod to the defense, the Bears are 27-10 in Jay Cutlers last 37 starts, which is predictably creating starts of its own, as in mutterings about Cutler as a possible MVP candidate.
Sports Illustrateds Peter King in todays Monday Morning Quarterback listed among things he liked in week 12:
h. Jay Cutler. If we define "value'' in "Most Valuable Player'' as someone whose loss would totally deflate and screw up his team, then Cutler has to be in the running for the award.
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Not to be outdone, Eric Adelson over at Yahoo Sports posited that Cutler deserves serious consideration for the MVP award. (Eric and Peter appear to have just joined the program already in progress and might want to put on the Tennessee red zone and Houston reels just for balance.)
The bases for the awards are simply that the Bears would behave beenabysmal without Cutler. Which may be a true testament to how bad Todd Collins and Caleb Hanie were and Jason Campbell was in one game, although Josh McCown was 1-1 in his two starts last season even being sacked seven times in Minnesota.
The problem with that thinking is that the Indianapolis Colts were 2-14 sans Peyton Manning last season. Does anyone really see the Atlanta Falcons at 10-1 with the other McCown (Luke) at quarterback? The Giants even in a Super Bowl discussion behind David Carr?
Not to dismiss the importance of what Cutler has done and is doing with the offense (although the passing offense did rank 30th in the NFL before Campbell ever took a snap). But with the paucity of quality quarterbacks in the NFL, rare is the team that doesnt spiral downward without its No. 1 quarterback. Theyre all borderline MVPs on their teams.