Yes, it's his demeanor
Steve Svekis
Sun Sentinel
Jay Cutler was in a tough spot, having to hope the MRI on his left knee would show a ruptured ligament. It didn't. And the torrent of criticism he has received from couch-potato commentators to active NFL players will probably only intensify.
The circumstances of his departure from the NFC championship game are arguable (it's tough to not give a guy playing quarterback in the NFL with Type 1 diabetes the benefit of the pain-threshold doubt), but what isn't is that Cutler again has augmented his reputation as a 21st Century Jeff George. His disinterested sourpuss made him look like a kid who had meekly gotten his lunch taken by a school bully. And when third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie was looking over a book of formations after he had been thrown into the fire, Cutler looked like he was a million miles away, though he was sitting next to him.
ssvekis@tribune.com
Bears fumbled it
Sam Farmer
Los Angeles Times
The whole situation was botched from the start, and it wasn't just Cutler. The Bears should have put him on the bench, or sent him to the locker room. But to have him standing there looking bored — legitimate injury or not — was reminiscent of the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson sitting disengaged at New England during the AFC championship game three years ago.
Viewers resent that, considering how emotional they are about the outcome. Just like when the Cardinals' Derek Anderson was laughing on the bench during a humiliating loss.
Of course Cutler wanted to play. And he probably has a high pain threshold when compared to the man on the street. But he needs to understand that if he doesn't even try to look invested, no one's going to invest much faith in him.
sfarmer@tribune.com
Some barbs are gutless
Kevin Van Valkenburg
Baltimore Sun
It's pretty clear that Jay Cutler is a strange dude. Even in the best of times, he sulks, doesn't make eye contact and seems indifferent and arrogant. I often wonder if a lot of his behavior might just be the result of an undiagnosed social anxiety disorder. Whatever his issues are, it's obvious he's a frustrating guy to root for.
I don't believe, however, that he's a quitter or a coward. He's taken a beating behind a terrible offensive line for two seasons and never complained, so I'm unsure why people think he was quitting in the most important game of his career. If he couldn't push off his knee, he was of no use to the Bears in the second half.
Criticizing him for playing poorly before he was injured is fine. That's part of the job. But suggesting he quit when he reportedly suffered a sprained MCL is gutless, and that's true whether you're a journalist, a fan or an NFL player.
kvanvalkenburg2@tribune.com
No, this is ridiculous
Chicago Tribune
Never has an NFL team been more relieved to announce its franchise quarterback suffered a tear in his knee ligament more than the Bears were Monday at Halas Hall.
Not that it will stop the silliness surrounding Jay Cutler, who has supplanted LeBron James as the most vilified man in sports. But it's a start.
For all of you who obtained your medical license via Twitter or studied under Dr. Maurice Jones-Drew, a sprain indeed is a tear. So when Lovie Smith revealed Cutler suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament, it more than justified Cutler missing Sunday's second half of the NFC championship game.
A knee sprain is an injury that takes at least two weeks to heal – not two series. What has happened in the last 48 hours borders on ridiculous.
dhaugh@tribune.com