Chicago Bears: Brian Hoyer Set to be Out Eight Weeks
Of all of the positions that have been marred on the Chicago Bears’ roster, the quarterback position may now be in the most critical condition. Second-string quarterback Brian Hoyer will undergo surgery on his broken left arm on Sunday, and is said to be out for at least eight weeks. Hoyer broke his arm in the second quarter of Thursday night’s 26-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Already having Jay Cutler sidelined with an injured thumb, the Bears turned to third-string quarterback Matt Barkley to finish the game. Barkley ended up completing six of 15 pass attempts for 81 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions.
With the inexperience of Barkley, and not having another quarterback on the current roster, Chicago may be on the horn, as we speak, trying to find an available quarterback for some much-needed depth for the remainder of the season. Cutler has been out of action since Week 2, and may be thrusted onto the field for the Bears’ Week 8 Monday night matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. And if you were wondering who is next in line after Barkley, Chicago’s emergency quarterback is tight end Zach Miller. If Cutler is unable to suit up versus the Vikings, then the Bears will have no choice but to go with Barkley. This will mean that Chicago will more than likely lean heavily on their 27th ranked running game against one of the top-ranked run defenses in the NFL, which could result in the Bears going into their bye week with a 1-7 record.
The comments head coach John Fox made to the media regarding Cutler’s status doesn’t give much of an indication of whether the 11-year veteran will be playing on Monday night. “When he’s cleared, we’ll have him out there. When exactly that’s going to be, I can’t answer. But he’s getting closer,” said Fox.
The multiple 300-yard games that Hoyer put up while under center was good for the sake of yardage. However, leading an offense that averaged a measly 18.6 points per game during the four full contests that he played in is unacceptable. Cutler may not be as careful with the ball as Hoyer has been, but his potential return to the lineup could give the Bears a better chance at putting more points on the board.
Considering the current situation that Chicago is in, having Cutler regain control of the offense is the only thing that could give the Bears a chance at ending this season with a respectable record.
More from Bear Goggles On
This article originally appeared on 
