Earlier in the summer, an ESPN insider article posed the question “Is Chicago Bears starting quarterback Jay Cutler an MVP candidate?” When I first saw it, I immediately thought that there was no way.
In previous seasons, Cutler has had somewhat of a “stigma” about his playing ability. He has been susceptible to injuries and is prone to interceptions. During his first year in Chicago, he led the NFL in interceptions with 26.
Throughout the first couple weeks of the season, Jay Cutler as MVP seemed somewhat possible. In week one, Cutler was 34 for 49 with 329 total passing yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and had a Quarterback Rating of 86.2; however, the Bears lost to the Buffalo Bills 23-20 in overtime.
Week two seemed to be more successful for Cutler as he was 23 for 34 with four touchdowns and zero picks. This raised his total rating to 119.2 in a come-from-behind win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Week three on Monday Night Football pitted the Bears against the New York Jets at Metlife Stadium in New York. Cutler had another great game, going 23 for 38 with 225 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The Bears ended up winning 27-19. Cutler’s QBR ended up being 94.7, slightly down from the previous week.
This past Sunday, Cutler did not have the same result as the previous weeks. The Bears played the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in Chicago. In the first quarter, Cutler connected with Brandon Marshall for a touchdown, putting the Bears up 7-0 with about six minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Bears and Packers traded scores and at halftime the Bears were trailing 21-17. The second half went downhill. Cutler threw two picks that eventually turned out to be Packer scores. The final score ended up being 38-17 Packers.
In the past, if someone mentioned Jay Cutler, a negative reaction was likely followed by the comment “He is terrible.” However, I think that this year is an exception. In the first three weeks, Cutler had great games. Brandon Marshall, the Bears’ star wide receiver used the words “MVP in the league” when talking about Jay Cutler.