Jay Cutler Plays His Best When His Job Is On the Line

Oct 20, 2016; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) watches team warm up before game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Some NFL quarterbacks are elite, some are journeymen, some are backups and some are washouts. Jay Cutler? His best term is “survivor.”

Saying that word makes one think of all the hits and sacks he’s endured for years with the Chicago Bears. While that’s true, in this context it’s speaking more to his ability to raise his game when it’s clear his job is on the line. There have been a number of moments over the past few years where the team was beginning to entertain the idea of moving on.

Each time he made them reconsider.

2013:  The Josh McCown threat

Three years ago nobody ever would’ve thought that Josh McCown, a career backup, would be a threat to Cutler’s job. However, when Jay went down with groin and then ankle injuries, the veteran journeyman got a chance to show his stuff. McCown was brilliant through his five starts, going 3-2 and throwing 13 touchdowns to just one interception. His five-touchdown performance against Dallas on Monday Night at Soldier Field remains one of the fondest memories

Nevertheless the Bears went back to Cutler a week later. Some were skeptical whether he could do the job. In truth he actually played fairly well in the final three games. He threw six touchdowns to four interceptions and posted a 93.26 quarterback rating. His strong performance in the finale had the team in position to win the division title before Chris Conte and the defense gave it away in the waning seconds against Green Bay.

Nov 16, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

2014:  The Salvage Operation

A lot of people have forgotten exactly what happened in the 2014 season. For good reasons. It was one of the craziest and least enjoyable experiences Bears fans have ever had. The sheer dysfunction and ineptitude of that team was incredible. Most just lump Cutler in with that mess. Though he was at its heart thanks to a rift with the coaching staff, the reality is he again found a way to save his own behind that almost nobody remembers.

It came in the wake of the absolute worst two-game stretch in franchise history. The Bears were obliterated by the Patriots and Packers, allowing over 50 points in both games. Embarrassment was felt by everybody. People began to talk about a complete scrubbing of the roster from the top down. Blow it up and start over. Just in the nick of time, Cutler put together back-to-back wins over Minnesota and Tampa Bay. It didn’t save the season, but it (and his contract) were enough to prevent his outright removal.

Jan 3, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach John Fox high-fives Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) after his touchdown pass to Chicago Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy (11) against the Detroit Lions in the second half of their game at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

2015:  The John Fox challenge

When he arrived to take over as head coach, John Fox did not mince words. He said he would not commit to Jay Cutler long-term as the teams’ quarterback. The 2015 season would essentially be an audition. If Cutler failed to perform, then Fox and Ryan Pace had no qualms about looking for options elsewhere. Neither of them held ties to Jay. Why would they feel any compulsion to keep him if he wasn’t going to help the team win football games?

In truth he ended up being their biggest reason for winning. Cutler had his most efficient season as a professional football player in 2015. He threw for 21 touchdowns to just 11 interception and engineered four 4th quarter comebacks. In essence he was solely responsible for two  thirds of the teams’ entire win total last year. That was more than enough to get Fox and Pace on board with the idea of moving forward with him under center in 2016.

Oct 2, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler (6) prior to a game against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

2016:  The Last Stand

This is it. Nine games now stand between Jay Cutler and his NFL livelihood. Nearly everybody is in agreement that the Bears brass has their eyes toward the future. After watch Cutler flounder early in the season and knowing he’ll be 34 in 2017, it’s almost inevitable they will seek a young option at quarterback. For Jay it’s not about being the long-term guy anymore. It’s about whether he can postpone the rise of a new area for another year or two.

Can he be that stopgap guy? He really doesn’t have much to lose at this point. The Bears are 1-6. If he can string together some wins down the stretch, his odds are certain to go up. Teammates continue to support him. Odds are he’ll have help from others returning healthy after the bye. The schedule remains relatively easy. Assuming his survival instinct remains intact, who knows, Maybe Cutler has one more unexpected escaping of the ax up his sleeve.

More from NFL Mocks

This article originally appeared on